Yule 08

I had such a moving experience at Shadow Grove for this sabbat that I scarcely know where to begin to talk about it. I supposed the beginning is the best place!

The evening started with hors d'oeuvres and some sabbat-appropriate crafting. We made corn garlands and coated pine cones with peanut butter and seeds so the critters of the forest could have something to eat during this time when this area is quite barren.

After dusk, we gathered in the lower room of the house for a run-down of the ritual and to get started. Down an immense flight of stairs that descends into the forest, there is a path that wraps around a gathering place and over a little creek to the ritual circle. Grove rituals usually start at that water crossing, where participants and smudged and cleansed and sent into the circle. This ritual was working a little differently.

Pre-ritual cleansing took place in the house. We each took an unlit candle with us and gathered on the deck. In a dark procession, we descended the sixty-step flight of frozen stairs to the ritual circle.

The theme of Yule is bringing back the light. After the longest night, the sun will slowly begin to take hold again, until it dominates the skies in the summer. For this ritual, we called on the sun, represented in fire, to bring back the light and fill our cold world with the blessings of its bounty. We took a flame from the ritual fire and, as we dismissed the quarters, lit our candles around the circle on that one flame. The procession then went back over the creek and up the breath-taking stairs, bringing back the light from where we started in darkness. It was, by far, the most beautiful Yule celebration I have ever been a part of or witnessed.

After that, we feasted, laughed, fellowshipped, and chose random names for our gift exchange. You may recall my crafting from my November esbat; the gift I made was a Chilean three-legged pig. They're usually made from pottery and exchanged between friends as a token of goodwill and luck. My little pig was crocheted in Yule colors of red, white, and green. The recipient, an extremely kind and loving person who makes a delectable beer bread said it made him smile every time he looked at it. This, of course, made me quite happy. My gift was a beautiful dream catcher made by the High Priestess' son. He is an extremely creative young man, and it just so happened that I needed a new dream catcher. As moving as the ritual was, it was also amazing to take part in this little Grove tradition. It seemed like gifts went to the person who needed them most.

The tradition of exchanging gifts at this time is centuries old. Early people would share what they had in abundance with their neighbors. This was usually crops or meat, or useful things like wool. Nothing was wasted and everyone had what they needed to get them through this time of year when things do not grow. We are blessed in this day and age to have stores that carry such necessities even in the bleak of winter, but the tradition lives on. Maybe none of us really needed any of those little trinkets, but you could tell they were all made with love and warm intentions, and we all do need that.

I hope you, gentle readers, had the brightest of bright Yules.

December Esbat

I hope everyone had a wonderful esbat.

I had planned to do something else entirely with this esbat, but the need arose to send some dear friends and family safety in travel. My sister-in-law is going to Japan in January. I am both excited and terribly jealous for her. Another friend is going to be making a long road-trip at the end of the month, despite the possibility of snow and ice in the way. This was the perfect opportunity to send them some safe travel wishes. I think we all know how stressful traveling can be.

I lit a blue candle for tranquility and calm for my sister-in-law, who will be in transit for quite a while just getting to her destination. I then lit an orange candle for alertness for my friend who will be on the road for days. I drew on those energies, filling myself with those hopes and safe thoughts, then projected them to the people they will help.

It should be noted that, while casting a spell for someone who did not ask for it is unethical, that is not what I did here. This was a spell on a wish, my own wish, for the safety of my friends. It was not a spell that imposed my will on their actions, but it did put some extra strength, calm, and fortitude in their grasp if they but reach for it.

Another Full Moon

I hope all of you had a bright and mostly warm esbat. The days are getting shorter and the weather is definitely getting colder.

I didn't have anything special planned in advance for this esbat, but something did present itself. The local pagan ministry I've been working with, Shadow Grove, holds celebrations for every sabbat. In the past, I'm told, Yule was a community event at a local Universalist church, not a private ritual at the Grove House. They've decided to bring Yule back to the Grove, but otherwise keep their traditions intact. Part of those traditions is a gift exchange, as many groups do. This group wants the gifts we exchange to be something hand-made. I'm all for that, I fill much of my free time creating things. Seeing as how Yule hasn't happened yet, I'm not going to say what it is I made. I will say that it's fitting, considering the item's ultimate purpose, that inspiration struck me on this esbat.

I gathered my supplies before my altar and cast my circle. Then, I got to making, focusing on what I wanted it to represent as it took shape in my hands. This tiny trinket took four hours to complete, which actually surprised me quite a bit. But, it was made in ritual and filled with my intent and I know it will be a special gift to whomever receives it. I concluded my ritual and left it sitting on my altar, where it will remain until it finally gets wrapped up for our Yule celebration.

I must say, I really enjoy it when things line up just right.

Oh, and keep your eyes on the sky! The Leonids are coming, and should be at their peak in just a few days.

Help Me Welcome

My third godson, Alexander! As several worked so hard to ensure, he and mom and doing wonderfully!

May the world bestow many blessings on this new life!

Happy Samhain, Happy New Year

Samhain is one of the most important holidays in the witch's calendar. It marks the third and final harvest, where livestock is slaughtered and meat prepared for the long dark winter months. It is one of two times when the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is thinnest. Rituals often include messages to loved ones who have gone before, or ancestors unknown, or even a dumb supper. This also makes it a great time for divination. The fae folk are on the move with other incorporeal creatures that walk the Earth on this night. It is also regarded by many as the new year. The old year ends and begins on this day, and many people include things they want to leave behind and thinks they wish to gain during rituals. It marks the symbolic death of the god in the shortening of daylight hours, until he is born again at Yule. I call this period the Dark of the Sun, as the yearly cycle of the sun reflects the monthly cycle of the moon.

This has always been a very special holiday for me. The autumn is my favorite time of year, this holiday occurs during the month of my birth, and the magick of the world feels stronger than ever. This also makes the very first ritual I was able to share with a local ministry I have been working with since I went to their festival at Beltane. I was excited at being able to join them in ritual, and not the slightest bit nervous.

The evening started with preparations. There was paper to write a message to love ones who had passed on to be burned in the ritual bonfire. We made wooden and fabric poppets to represent something we wanted to be rid of, or something we wanted to take with us into the year. I made one of each.

The group of sixteen participants (and one to stand outside the circle as a protector - I need to research this concept, in fifteen years of my own practice, I have never heard of such a position) walked gaily to the ritual circle and then quietly prepared ourselves as we were cleansed one by one. During the course of the ritual, each person was given the opportunity to throw their message and/or their poppet into the flame and say a few words about it or not as they saw fit. My poppet was a representation of the many things that happened to me this year that I needed to leave behind me. This was mostly low points that I had given far more energy to than they needed. My letter was to my maternal grandfather, Poppop. About three years ago, he sent me a message, a loud and clear message, and I finally got the chance to tell him I had received it. He passed on when I was very young, and I think the time we would have shared was taken from us. My other poppet is to remind me of my own strength, and it will stay on my altar until next Samhain.

After everyone sent their messages or gave to the fire what needed to be left behind, we did something very special. It was four years ago Samhain that the sacred space of this place was dedicated. In their attempts to gain non-profit status with the government, they are becoming much more public and the space needs more protection than ever. We raised energy and cast a vast shield around the property, to protect it, those who dwell there, and those who come and go in perfect love and trust. It was beautiful.

When the ritual ended, we moved to another bonfire and told crazy stories into the night.

I am happy that my first ritual with this group, my chosen family, was so special. I am pleased to have been welcomed into their circle, and I know we can all learn and grow from each other.

The Full Hunter's Moon

If the Harvest Moon is not in October, this moon is known as the Hunter's Moon. Deer are prevalent during this time and easier to spot with the leaves falling and the fields reaped. This is a good time to stock up on meat for the coming winter months when food is more scarce.

Some friends of mine are expecting their second child, who will be my third godson. He is due early November, and his mother has been having a very rough pregnancy. She suffers from pre-eclampsia, which seems to have caused very painful heart palpitations and the occasional panic attack, among other things. My friends asked me for some help.

I started my ritual by casting my circle and lighting two candles. One was a deep blue for healing, peace, and tranquility for the mother and the other was a light baby boy blue that has the same properties but was used to represent her baby. As the candles burned, I sent calm to them both. I then filled them with Reiki by distance. Simple, but effective.

Now, one does not need to be a Reiki master to send healing energy, and one does not need an esbat to use Reiki. I used this night that is set aside for spell work to combine the two, the method of healing that I used before I was attuned to Reiki, and Reiki as well. I will also continue with Reiki until their son is born (and after, if they wish it). I have no doubt that I will have a healthy godson, even without my healing energy. Pre-eclampsia describes symptoms that can have a number of causes, so the healing sent in this ritual is really for calm and for peace. The condition does not necessarily mean that something is wrong, and the doctors are agreeing. I know she will have relief.

Happy Mabon

Also sometimes just called the Autumnal Equinox, this is the second harvest before winter. Generally regarded as the vegetable harvest, it is also the thanksgiving celebration. Much like the American tradition in November, it is a time to give thanks to the Lord and Lady for their bounty and blessings.

I was unable to join the ministry for this sabbat because of a seasonal weekend job. This also made a ritual of my own not very feasible. After a hard day of working, however, a group of us get together for a very late dinner. I used that time to thank the gods and the planet for their many gifts.

I learned a meal blessing a few years ago that I use regularly, but most especially before the harvest feasts. I tend to write it frequently, though I cannot remember where I learned it, so you may have already seen it, and you may see it again.

Thanks to the Lord for the food we eat

Thanks to the Lady for her gifts so sweet

Thanks to the farmers who laboured long

Thanks to the animals for their bodies strong

Thanks to the hands that prepared our meal

Thanks to all who turn the Wheel

Full Harvest Moon

This bright moon is so named because it is harvest time. Farmers can often continue gathering crops into the night by the light of this moon. It occasionally comes in October as opposed to September. The Harvest moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the Autumnal Equinox.

I could no longer put off re-dedicating my house charm for a time that my roommate and I could do it together. She was busy last night, and she is leaving in about a week for a week-long vacation. I'm excited to have the place to myself, but I know I'm going to need the protections that this charm will provide.


I placed the charm bag on my pentacle, cast my circle, and called the elements and deities. It is rare that I do more than a ritual circle for an Esbat. Protected by the Watchtowers and in the presence of my patrons, I re-stated the ingredients and the purpose of each, almost as if I was crafting an entirely new charm bag. When I had finished this, I cast a shield around the condo, programming it to protect those who dwell within and allow only those who mean us no harm to pass through. I tied the shield to the charm bag and hung it from a hook on the living room ceiling, where it will continue to shield my new dwelling.

Now, I work frequently with shields. Tying them to a charm or talisman keeps them up all the time without having to think about it constantly. However, shields take a lot of damage and need regular maintenance, especially the longer they are in place. I will periodically clean and fortify this shield, keeping the protections constant and at peak. Someday soon, I'll give you much more information about shielding.

The Sturgeon Moon

The name most commonly associated with this moon is the Sturgeon. This large, bony fish seems to be abundant during this time, and that is how the moon got this name. Some other tribes call it the Full Red Moon, for the red hue upon rising. There are also some harvest references as the Green Corn Moon or the Grain moon.

Once again, my roommate and I were unable to hold a re-dedicating charm bag ritual together. Instead, something came up that I had to work on.

An old and dear friend of mine has gotten in trouble with the law. He has not clearly confirmed or denied to me if he actually did what they are accusing him of doing. This is troubling, because the charges against him are horrendous and unforgivable, and he speaks as if conviction and imprisonment are certainties. While he has yet to be tried (and, I think formally charged) he is currently living with his in-laws under house arrest. And, apparently I am the only person other than those he must live with who has not cut him off since the trouble started. Even his wife only sees him when she brings the children by for a visit. If it turns out to be true, I'm honestly not sure if I will be the only person anymore. He asked me for some work on his behalf.

The spell I worked had several parts. I lit a white candle for peace. I then took a cord of natural cotton fiber in white and filled myself with my purpose and need. I tied a knot for my friend to bind his fears and frustration, and give him strength. I tied a knot for his family and the other people he cares about, that they may also be given the strength to do what is right in their hearts. I tied a knot for myself that I may continue to be the voice of reason that he needs and find the strength to forgive the unforgivable if it proves to be true. I tied a knot for the truth, whatever it may be. I tied a knot for the people who may have been hurt by him, in this matter and all others. I tied a knot for those who love him to help them remember why they do even in the face of this ordeal. I tied three knots for each of his children, to bring them calm and peace as they are hurting the most from this right now. I looped the cord and tied it together, to bind everyone in hope that justice will be served, whether it is for the good or ill of my friend. When the candle had burnt down, I buried the stub and the cord in the woods behind my complex, so the Great Mother can send those energies to their purpose.

I must trust that justice will win out, whatever the truth may be. All I can do is wish my friend has the strength and courage to face it, whether it is a crime he really committed, or picking up the pieces of his life when the ordeal has past. I must believe in justice.

Happy Lughnasadh

Many people get hung up on this Old Irish word. Modern Irish spells it Lúnasa, and that is how to pronounce it. It's not as complex as it seems when you know.

This is a festival of the god Lugh, my patron deity, as an honor to his foster-mother Tailtiu.

Some Christians celebrate lammas, or loaf mas, on this day. This is a reference to the first autumnal harvest, the grain harvest. Grains from the fields are harvested and stored for the coming winter. It is a festival of bounty and of preparation.

Once again, the ministry that put on the Beltane festival attempted to hold a ritual. Just like the attempt at the Litha, the weather had other plans. We feasted inside as the rain and thunder roared outside and then chatted and told stories into the night. Even without a ritual, I think it is perfectly wonderful to spend a sabbat in fellowhip.

Because this is a feast day of my patron god, however, I did light a candle to his honor, and Tailtiu's honor, when I returned home in the wee hours of the morning.

Help Me Welcome

My second godson, Marcus! He is the cutest little baby I have ever seen.

May the world grant this new life the brightest of bright blessings!

Full Buck Moon

This full moon was so named because bucks were growing new antlers at this time. It was also sometimes called the Thunder Moon, in reference to the many thunderstorms that tend to occur during this time of year.

I had a lot going on for this esbat. My roommate and I were going to hold a ritual together, to rededicate the charm bag I made in February. We decided to wait on that, possibly until next esbat, so I instead set the bag on my windowsill to let the moon cleanse it of the previous intent.

I also had been working on a project with a specific purpose. That purpose has changed dramatically over the past few weeks. That work was also left in moonlight to cleanse and make room for new intent.

After those were set, the real work began!

A new friend of mine had told me that she was not comfortable in her home. She and her husband had lived there for a few years, but it felt like his home, not hers. She did not complain much to him about it because he loved it, but she felt very uncomfortable and unsafe there. I offered to make a charm bag for her, and she acquired most of the ingredients. This will make it much more attuned to her.

I started this creating by gathering my supplies and casting my circle. I sewed a brown cotton bag, brown being the color of homes, with blue thread and a blue hemp drawstring, blue is good for promoting tranquility.

I first added my own ingredients: a hematite to absorb negativity; a carnelian for relaxation; a tiger's eye for grounding, protection, and to ward off ill wishes; and a clear quartz for balance and keeping the energy clean. I then added red rose petals for protection and happiness.

Next came the items that she had chosen: a lovely piece of kyanite for tranquility, cutting through fears, and grounding; a deep purple amethyst for protection and calming, and a mixture of lavender, sage, and rosemary for their protection and cleansing properties. The final touch was a shell that had been carved into a wave charm. She had thought of putting it in the bag, but I decided it would better serve it's purpose outside. I tied nine knots in a piece of white cotton cord for protection, and tied the wave charm to the bag with that.

I should be able to present her home tranquility charm bag to her at Lughnasadh if I don't see her sooner.

I hope all of you had a wonderfully productive esbat!

Occasion to Stop

One of my friends is having a baby. Probably at this very moment, or very soon. She has had many complications through her pregnancy (the least of which being going through the first six months not knowing she was pregnant). Last week, she told me that if she didn't give birth by the end of the week, they would induce labor on Monday, today. I think her official due date was to be some time next week, but she's been really struggling the past couple weeks.

She told me she was going to the hospital at 0800, and I promised to think of her and send her some Reiki to help when she got there. I noticed the time, while sitting here in the office, and stopped. I closed my eyes and started with Reiki. I felt my crown chakra, the one through which the Reiki energy enters, tingling. Even for a couple minutes, with the click of computer keys around me, I felt the divine energy flowing through me and to my friend and her soon-to-be-born son.

The sensations I get when working with Reiki energy never cease to surprise me. I've sent Reiki before when I was at work, but I have never felt so instantly and assuredly connected to the recipient as I did right now. I hope this will give me energy for my day as well. And I hope my friend has an exceptionally easy labor and a perfect little son when it is done. I'm waiting for that call.

In other news, the website is back up and running. Thanks to all of you who kept me on the ball about it!

Please Forgive Me

I only recently got an internet connection since I moved. And in the flurry of moving, I haven't had anything to update anyway. I noticed just this morning that my website was down. I suspect the cause is that I updated my address with my credit card biller but forgot to do so with the webhost (thus, they didn't match, thus they couldn't bill me, even though I'm not up for billing). I think I've straightened things out, but if you happen to come by and see the Arcanum isn't loading (I've been getting a 400 error) a few hours after this post, please let me know. That means the problem is somewhere else and I need to call them. Thanks, friends!

And as a reward for being without my site for I have no idea how long, I might even get some new articles up very soon.

Happy Summer Solstice

The Summer Solstice has many names. Some call it Midsummer (meteorologically, it is the middle of Summer), some call it Litha. Whatever the word, a lot is happening during this fire festival.

The fields are full and ripe with growing plants for the upcoming harvest, just as the Goddess nurtures the God in her pregnant belly. The Oak King and the Holly King battle it out once again, and the Holly King reigns supreme until Yule. Days will start to get shorter even when it feels like the warmth is just beginning. In my area, almost every day ends in a spectacular thunder storm; the power of nature is in full force.

The group that put on the festival I went to at Beltane had planned a ritual weekend for Litha. This wasn't a public festival, but a private gathering at the proprietors' home, which is the group's established sacred space. The back deck offered a great place to congregate and partake of Sabbat crafts, and a long wood and earthen staircase led to the Grove, bonfire, and ritual circle back in the woods of their property near a small creek. This place had a magickal feel to it, and a coworker of mine has been trying for quite some time to get me there.

We had a great amount of crafts planned for the day. There was decorative besom making (the shaft being a large cinnamon stick and the bristles were a long grass grown right on the property). We made dream pillows, sewn and stuffed with herbs, and purification pouches to be thrown into the ritual fire. There was also a station for faerie houses and carving/decorating wands, staffs, or walking sticks. We also had a sun wheel that we were to decorate and would also be burned in the ritual fire. There were places for camping on the property and many people pitched tents for the weekend.

Most of Saturday was spent in crafts. I made a little besom, two dream pillows, and a purification pouch filled with nine herbs representing things I needed to be rid of and things I wanted to call to me. There was quite a lot of drama as some of the children inadvertently stirred up a nest of yellow jackets. My roommate used to be an EMT and she was a great help, though she later told me she was really nervous and unsure of herself because she had never previously dealt with possible allergic reactions. While I'm very sorry that a couple kids were sporting multiple sting wounds (and some of the adults that responded to the cry for help by the creek were too), and am very thankful that not a single person stung was seriously allergic to it. Despite my roommate's nerves, I know she was a great help and a comfort that she was there.

The excitement of the yellow jacket attack delayed our feast only a little. Once everyone was treated and calmed down or sleeping, we ate a sumptuous meal of mostly homemade dishes; grilled meats, salads and pasta, a delectable dip, and bar-b-qued venison. There was also muffins, cakes, cookies, and bread, and the whole meal was complimented by organic lemonade and sangria.

The second snag (the first being the yellow jacket attack) happened right after we cleaned up from our feast. Clouds and thunder starting rolling in, the skies opened up, and rain poured in great drops. Some of us stayed on the deck, not really protected under the upper deck, and some went inside to wait it out. The rain came down so hard that we all had to retreat indoors. After that cell, another one came through. The ritual and bonfire was a rain-out, as well as the bardic circle planned for afterwards (storytelling, singing, dancing, drumming, just fun things!). We stayed to the wee hours of the morning playing silly board games. Even though the ritual didn't happen, I can't think of a better way to have spent the day.

And it's not over! Those who camped out eventually retired to their tents, those who's tents got soaked ended up in the house or went to their own homes. My roommate's tent was a lake, and I didn't have one, so we went home for the night and returned (quite a bit late) the following day. Sunday became another day of crafts. Those who didn't make a besom were able to do so, some made more dream pillows. A few of us walked through the woods looking for staffs, one found a fallen branch of purpleheart (I almost picked that up, but my roommate gave me a length of poplar that she had found on the property some time ago, that was more meaningful to me, though I love purpleheart). Then we spent much of the afternoon sanding, drawing, carving, or otherwise tending to our wonderful wooden finds. In the afternoon, we had a great linner (somewhere between lunch and dinner) of left-over feast dishes. We eventually had all the fun we could stand, and another storm was moving in, so we cleaned up and headed to a restaurant for a very late dinner. I admit I was not the least bit hungry and just should have gone home, but I was in wonderful company and went with them anyway. This put me home extremely late so it will be quite hard to get through today.

Despite my fatigue (and the bad choice of staying when I should have gone that caused it), the yellow jacket attack, and the fact that our ritual couldn't happen as intended because of the storms, I can't think of a better way to have spent the Sabbat. I hope all of you had an equally wonderful, and without the stinging trauma, holiday!

The Full Strawberry Moon

I hope everyone had a wonderful Esbat. This moon was so named by the Algonquin tribes because June is the time for harvesting strawberries. Some further research shows this was called the Rose Moon in Europe, and roses sure are in bloom around now.

Spring is winding down and the official start of summer is almost upon us (meteorologically, we're nearly halfway through summer). The days are still long, the nights are still short, and the temperature climes daily in many places (unless you're in the Southern Hemisphere). It's a great time to feel the life of the planet in abundance.

I was going to do something completely different for this Esbat. I was going to recharge the charm bag I made at the Snow Moon so it fits my new dwelling, but something else came up suddenly. One of my dear cats has developed diabetes in her near-old age. I'm convinced it was a side effect of some medication she was on at the start of the year for a knee injury (and it is a common side effect) and so am feeling entirely guilty for giving her those pills in the first place. I also feel guilty that I could not take her with me when I moved and had to leave her with my parents, who may or may not be up for the challenge of caring for a diabetic cat.

In my new home, my altar is out and ready to be used whenever the need strikes me. Before moonrise, I gathered my materials and set everything up. I used a powdered rose incense for love, a blue candle for tranquility and healing, and set a rose quartz, again for love, and a bloodstone on my altar pentacle. The incense and quartz are to help my cat know I love her even if I can't have her with me. The candle is to help bring her peace and healing, as I'm sure she doesn't understand why she always feels hungry, and in anticipation of insulin shots which may make her nervous. The bloodstone is the best at healing matters of the blood (while diabetes is not a blood disease, it is blood-related as a metabolism issue). (For some reason, the picture came out very green!)



After my ritual bath (I used a hand-made rose scented soap to keep with my theme), I cleared my space with my besom, cast my circle with my wand (made of a wood that happens to be healing-specific), and lit the altar candle, spell candle, and incense. Wand in hand, I sat before my altar and conjured up a vision of my cat. I drew energy from the elements into my wand, and then from my spell-specific tools: the blue candle, the rose quartz, and the bloodstone, spending the most time with the bloodstone. I pulled energy from these into the wand, and from myself, and from the divine source of Reiki, and I felt the presence of the cat I was able to take with me in my circle, sitting calmly and lending her energy (something she has never done before). When I felt the needed energy had been raised and my wand was thoroughly charged, I sent that energy to my cat. The visualization saw her sleeping soundly cradled within the petals of a soft rose: calm, safe, happy, and getting well again. I finished my ritual with a Reiki session, then opened my circle and let the incense burn out. I did snuff the candle, but I will light it again this evening so it can burn out in a safe manner.

Here is one other (rather dark) picture at the conclusion of my ritual spell with my cat, Miss Luna, patiently lying upon the bed, where she was for the duration.

This Esbat also saw an end to the second Mercury retrograde period of the year. Hopefully, you found yourself unaffected and were able to use that time for some likely needed quiet reflection.

Retrograde Again

Mercury went into retrograde in Gemini this past Sunday. Remember to be mindful of your communications during this time. It will be in retrograde through the middle of June. Now is a good time for inner contemplation and finishing projects that you have already begun rather than starting new ones.

In one coincidental act of timing, I signed a lease on a new place on Saturday, before the retrograde period (when they say is not a good time for signing contracts). I made a lot of compromises to get this far, and I'm not entirely happy about having to make them, but I am quite happy to be getting out of my current living situation. Moving in is scheduled for this weekend, but it's not exactly starting something new because the lease is already signed. How is that for timing luck?!

I hope you all fare well!

Full Flower Moon

This moon was so named because flowers are usually abundant during this time. My area saw more flowers last month than this one; we have been getting a lot of rain.

I did something a little different for this esbat. All my tools are still packed away. I had to put the home I was looking at (and hitting snags to get) on hold, and began looking at places to rent with someone I met at the Beltane festival. We have turned in our applications and are waiting to hear if we're accepted. Here's hoping!

I had thought about a spell to move this process along, but I made many appeals to Hestia when I started my new home search and felt it was a better idea to let that work run its course. I've been making a lot of things lately, things with spiritual significance and things without, so I decided to make one of these things in ritual.

I gathered my supplies and cast my circle around my work area. I was certain I would not finish in one night, so I programmed my circle to be permeable. Beings that meant no harm to the happenings within would be allowed to enter and leave freely (this includes myself and my cats), and beings that do mean harm would be deterred. The circle would remain until the task is complete.

Then, it was time to begin. I had a general idea of what I wanted to do, but needed some inspiration to make it a reality. I meditated with the materials before me and started working with them when I felt that I was ready to do so.

As I had prepared, I had to stop before it was done (oh, how we hate life to get in the way!), and I feel the project is successfully taking shape. I left my circle intact, to maintain the energies within when I began, and will continue this evening. I'm sorry that I cannot yet tell you what it is that I am making, though I hope my desire to do it in ritual will be apparent when that time comes.

This is, at it's core, no different than when I make a charm bag, except it is a bit more elaborate; I'm rather surprised that I never before thought of doing it. I also learned something about my creative process; something that I think I've always known, just never really admitted to. That is, I don't use patterns and generally have little more than an (often vague) idea on which to build. I suppose many great ideas grow into wondrous things from a small beginning. I create best without a plan. That was an amusing thing to learn about me.

I hope all of you had a wonderful esbat.

Ritual Festival

This weekend's Beltane gathering was wonderful. I've worked a number of festivals: some were completely entertainment (like a Renaissance festival), some were glorified craft fairs, but I had never previously been to a gathering like this, where the purpose was ritual, celebration, learning, and fellowship.

We had positively perfect weather, even though the forecast was for rain on Saturday night. The temperature was perfect, and it didn't rain at all. The park we were in had several campsites, each with a number of clusters of cabins and a dining hall, bonfire pit, and infirmary. We had one such site that had four cabin clusters. I stayed with three staff members (one is a current co-worker and another a former co-worker of mine) in the infirmary. We ended up being perfectly situated in the middle of most things and closest to the dining hall where they did most of their work. It was also great because we had our own bathroom!


This is the altar for the opening ritual on Saturday morning. We cast our sacred circle to encompass the entirety of the campsite, and made it permeable so friends could enter and exit at will. Directly after, we crowned the king and queen of the May. Saturday also included the maypole dance.

I don't have any pictures of the actual dance because I was a part of it. I think one of my roomies may have a few. We got turned around once or twice, but otherwise it was one of the best coordinated maypole dances I've seen. It wasn't perfect (I've actually never seen one executed perfectly, though in theory, it's quite a sight) but we weren't there to be perfect anyway. After the maypole had been wrapped, it was left standing all weekend so people could come and get fertility blessings from the maypole. A fertility blessing applies to anything that involves creation; it could have been for a craft, starting something new, or a new life.

After the maypole dance, we held our main ritual. This involved the joining of soil from the sacred spaces of the people gathered. I provided soil from where a maple tree that was sacred to me once stood. We then mixed it together, and each participant took a cup of it and a single sunflower seed.

My workshop was after dinner. I had about eight people and a poor bird that was trapped in the building. I forgot to check if it had gotten out; I hope it did. I had written an extensive lesson that I managed to leave at home, but I did have my outline. I think I was able to talk about almost everything I wanted to talk about. I do intend to write up this lesson, and it will eventually find its way to the Arcanum (it's something I've been needing to do anyway!). I think my little class went well, and I hope those who attended agreed.

Saturday night ended with a bonfire and drum circle. A few of us without drums, including myself, spent much of that time dancing around the fire. No wonder my legs are so tired today! In the infirmary, we got to bed around 0130, which wasn't so bad considering we had to get up early to start breakfast.

My only workshop on Sunday was a mala crafting class. Mala, meaning "garter," are prayer beads. I've made a few small sets in the past of my own design and method, so I was excited to take this workshop and hopefully learn something new. I was not disappointed. In fact, it was quite wonderful, and I hope to make some more sets with my new knowledge.

The one hour time slot this workshop was allotted proved to be too little. We ended up taking almost two hours. That's really because knotting between each bead takes time when you are a beginner, but we all wanted to do it. That's some of the skill that I was really hoping to pick up with the class. I've been wearing and getting to know my mala all day today. For me, it's a comfort to have them around. The very first strand I made broke. The second one recently lost a bead. I have another (I made three that first time) that I haven't used yet, that's how recently the second one lost a bead. The mala I made yesterday is twice as long as my first sets; they're traditionally one hundred and eight beads, but can be made any length that is a multiple of nine (you will usually find fifty-four, which is what I made yesterday, or twenty-seven, which is what I had previously made).

We concluded our weekend with another ritual where we opened the circle we had cast on Saturday. It was a truly fabulous weekend.

I took off of work today so I could finish cleaning up my gear and conclude my part of the ritual. The seed needed to be planted, and I took a portion of our ritual offering (instead of cakes and ale, we had berries and tea) to offer in my own sacred space. I chose the base of the massive oak tree in my back yard to leave the offering. I planted the sunflower in a place that will get sun. I hope it grows.

The theme of this festival was "plant a seed of unity," meant to draw groups, small covens, and solitaries into a larger group: not a coven, but a community. By mixing soil and planting actual seeds, we can take the energy of the gathering and bring it to points all over the region. I've been solitary for a while, but I've also been in covens before. It's refreshing to be reminded that, even though I practice my spirituality alone, I never really am.

I would like to take this blog moment to thank Shadow Grove, the Northern Virginia Pagan Network, and MoonFire for putting on this really wonderful Beltane celebration.

Happy Beltane!

I hope everyone had a wonderful sabbat (and happy Samhain to my Southern Hemisphere friends!). I must admit that I thoroughly did not. I received a call from my grandmother at 0200, who was in a panic and bleeding. The family mobilized, summoned an ambulance, and took her to the hospital where we waited. After about four hours, my father and I were sent home to rest with the plan of coming back later so my mother and uncle could then get some rest. The source of the problem, we all believed, was an estrogen supplement that must be administered vaginally. Why a nearly ninety year old woman needs estrogen, and why her doctor would prescribe that kind, is beyond me. She was sent home and is mostly better, though the only good the hospital really did was to give her a much-needed IV and tell her to see the prescribing doctor as soon as possible. Needless to say, spending mornings in the ER waiting room is not the most spiritually conducive environment.

All is not lost! Beltane is one of the most widely celebrated of sabbats, second to Samhain. It is the other day when the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is most thin, and therefore a great time for communing with the faeries and for divination. As seems to be traditional in this day and age, since the holiday fell on a weekday, many people plan to do their major celebrating on the weekend. This plan ends up working out quite well for me, since a May Day ritual just wasn't going to happen on my own.

I will be attending a festival called Fertile Ground that is put on by a fairly local pagan fellowship. There are a few things they're doing that I don't exactly agree with (like encouraging the wearing of Renaissance festival-type clothing. I understand why they are doing this, and it's not required, but I don't prefer it. I shall have to go into detail about this at another time) but I know it will prove to be a fabulous weekend. There will be an opening ritual, a main ritual and maypole, and a nighttime drum circle on Saturday, a closing ritual on Sunday, and a decent amount of workshops, activities, and entertainment. I will be presenting an introduction to tarot workshop that I am rather excited about. My only regret here is that they gave me a time slot opposite another workshop I wanted to take.

In anticipation of my weekend, and because my Beltane day was so stressful, I did take a small bit of time to gather some of the things I will need. I have a set of Morris dancing bells that I often use in ritual. Unfortunately my first set of bells has gone missing (probably somewhere in my packing frenzy) and I needed to make some new ones. I stopped by the craft store and bought a pack of bells and some leather cord. Using scraps of leather that I had on hand, I strung my bells onto a strip of leather as a wide bracelet or anklet. I tied six silver bells (six has numerological significance to me) to a strip of grey leather with cords in spring colors of teal and rose. I was able to finish one last night, and I'll complete the other this evening. I actually like them better than my original bells, as they were made with a kit I purchased in a craft store and these are entirely my design.

I won't actually be performing a Morris dance; these bells are mostly for ritual use. It is said that we ring bells to keep the faeries away, as the fae are quite mischievous and we don't want them causing trouble as they wander about. Beltane is known as one of the major fertility festivals, but it is also one where the country dwellers would take time away from planting their fields simply to celebrate life and acts that create it. Whether you celebrated last night or are waiting for some more free time with the weekend, I hope you had a wondrous one.

Full Pink Moon

So named for the prevalent pink flowers of spring, this moon is also called the Fish Moon, the Sprouting Grass Moon, or the Egg Moon, depending on the region.

At the request of a friend, I spent this esbat sending Reiki to someone who needed a little healing. Full moons are great for healing rituals as it is, but with all of my supplies packed up in moving anticipation, a Reiki session was just perfect for my current circumstances.

Everything on the moving front is on hold right now with no estimated time of return. It's disappointing on many levels, because if this falls through I would have lost some much needed funds in the attempt and, of course, not improved my living situation any.

While I'm a few days behind in getting this esbat post up, I hope everyone had a great day, and I hope you're all blooming with excitement at the thought of the many gay festivities surrounding the upcoming sabbat.

This Moon Has Many Names

The names of the full moons that I have been giving you come from Native American traditions. I had a dear friend who is Comanche, who taught me the vast majority of the information I relay (even if it was not originally her tradition).

Some tribes called this the Full Sap Moon, a time when you could tap the maple tree for its sap. To others, this was the Crust Moon, referencing the hard shell-like surface of snow that melts during the day but freezes at night. In the north, it was often called the Crow Moon, as the birds returning from their winter roosts fill the air with their song. It was also commonly called the Worm Moon; worms emerge from the frozen ground where they are easily snatched by robins, the bird that most identifies the return of spring.

With all of my supplies still packed away, I was only able to do a simple candle ritual. Similar to what I had originally planned to do for the Esbat, only the purpose changed.

After casting my circle, I charged a white candle with thoughts of peace, calm, and patience. I then placed it in the north and lit the wick. As the flame burned, I surrendered thoughts of doubt, failure, and fear to be burned away by the flame. The candle took those doubts and destroyed them, and the patience and calm was released into my circle as the wax melted, thus filling it and me with those feelings.

My move that hasn't yet happened has been extremely frustrating to me. So, I took the opportunity to get rid of all of the negativity that I brought about in this temporary delay, and to replace that with the patience I need to get through this time and with knowledge that my much anticipated move will happen. It has to, I just have to wait a little longer.

I hope everyone had a marvelous Esbat.

Ostara, the Vernal Equinox

An equinox is so named because the time of daylight and darkness is in equal measure. This is the first equinox of the year, marking the beginning of spring for people in the northern hemisphere.

Despite the cold weather my area has been experiencing, the trees are starting to bloom, birds are returning to their summer nests, and fair weather insects and amphibians can be heard through the night.

I've been personally suffering an intense case of winter blues, and only last night realized that is what it was. The process of changing my residence has stalled for now, which hasn't helped my mood. I was certainly expecting to be moved in and settling by now. Because of this, all of my tools are safely packed up in move anticipation, leaving me to performing a very simple meditation ritual.

I placed a pink candle, pink to represent the flowering sakura trees I love so much, into a painted jar and cast my circle. I prepared myself by focusing on the candle and filling my head with thoughts of spring and what spring means: new beginnings, starting fresh, and certainly warmer days that can be spent out of doors. I then picked up an old Book of Shadows and a pencil and started writing.

This is a form of meditation called automatic writing. The only rule it to write whatever comes to mind, and not to stop. I wrote for thirty minutes and filled five pages. The candlelight was just enough so that I could see the lines on the page, but not what was being written. I did not exactly follow the lines on the page, but writing neatly is not the objective. It is an exercise of meditation and channeling. When done right, you don't have any conscious thought about what you are actually writing.

I read over my pages of scribble this morning and found a lot of thoughts about how I've been feeling lately, where it's really coming from, and why I want to hide those reasons, and what I've really been feeling, from the people who are important to me.
Just as spring is a time of beginnings, this exercise allowed for beginning; beginning to see the truth behind my actions and emotions, and maybe even beginning to move them in a different, more positive, direction.

Embrace your beginnings.

Full Snow Moon

I hope everyone had a fabulous Esbat! This is called the Snow Moon by many native tribes from the North and East. This is because the heaviest snowfalls tend to occur around this time. Tribes from regions that receive less snow call it the Hunger Moon, for the scarcity of food in the winter months.

I took two days during the three-day reign of the full moon to complete my spell work. In anticipation of closing on a new dwelling next month, I created a charm bag that will serve as an amulet for protection, peace, and a little bit of prosperity.

Sometimes, it's strange how things work out. I couldn't find the material I wanted to use to craft the bag and, from what I did have, I picked the wrong color. This bag will find a prominent place in my new dwelling, so I did not worry about natural fiber. Like the one I made for my coworker, I wanted a brown bag (the color for homes) with blue thread (a color of tranquility). I ended up picking not the brown deer suede, but the burgundy deer suede. This was simply due to the dim lights in the room. I also managed to not get blue thread, but a light gray thread, also probably from the lighting. Halfway through my sewing, I realized the colors I was working with and, right away, I also realize how perfect they were. The siding on my new home is gray, and the shutters are a shade of burgundy. Completely by accident, I chose material that was even more perfect than what I had intended. I used a brown hemp cord for the drawstring and a heavy brown glass bead to keep it tight. I began sewing just as the eclipse was starting on the 20th.

When my bag was complete, I added my stones. There is: a snowflake obsidian for peace and protection; a yellow tiger eye for protection, prosperity, and a little bit of courage (the courage is needed because so much of this change in living arrangements is something very new for me); an amethyst point for peace and calming fears; a carnelian for protection and calm; a green aventurine for prosperity; a citrine for calming fears and promoting peaceful sleep; a hematite to keep me grounded; a clear quartz to keep all the energies clean and strong; and one special stone that I knew I wanted to add before I knew why, a lovely piece of sodalite that's good for inner peace.

After the stones, I added the herbs: red rose petals for protection and to fill my home with love; rosemary for protection, purification, and peaceful sleep; sage for protection and cleansing; and a very special pinch of nepeta. The last herb, while good for it's calming energies, is also known as catnip, and I added it to try to encourage some calm and peace between my two cats.

I also had some special things to add to this bag for my new home. The first was ash from my Yule log to bring the happiness from my previous home to my new one. I then added the candle stubs from the success and prosperity spell I had finished with the previous esbat. After all, that entire working was with this new change in abode in mind. Like my coworker's bag, I added a pinch of ash from the anti-fire charm that my brother and I crafted years ago. The last piece was something I had never before had occasion to use. Several years ago, a friend of mine sent me some small branches from her tree outside. This tree was some kind of pine on the side of her driveway that had been struck by lightening some years before. The strike left half of the tree dead, and the other half still thriving as if nothing happened. She had respectfully taken some branches from the dead side; wood that has been struck by lightening is very magickal. For one thing, it serves as a protection from lightening. I added a few bits of this wood to my bag for its protective qualities.

The bag was completed and filled as the moon entered totality. I hung it from my bedroom window, where the shrouded light of the eclipsed moon cleansed it and its contents from any energies they might have picked up (and everything picks up energies). I then placed the bag in an altar box, safe and clean, to wait for the following night.

Last night, with the moon still considered full, I performed the actual working. Casting my circle and calling the quarters, I asked the Lord and Lady to bless my dwelling (wherever it may be) and I dedicated my charm to protecting it. At the conclusion, I hung it back in the window to charge with the light of the full, un-eclipsed moon. This morning, I removed the charm and put it back in the altar box where it will stay until I move next month. And I already have a plan for my first Esbat in my new home.

How Did You Fare?

I hope everyone got through this period of Mercury retrograde without a scratch (as it were). I hope you found time for some nice quiet reflection and got some things finished or worked on.

I will speak more on this month's full moon later; however, I wanted to make sure everyone is prepared. Tomorrow, February 20th, will see a total lunar eclipse. The entire eclipse will be visible to South America and most of North America (for you West coast folks, the moon will rise in eclipse), and even some of Europe and Africa.

Magickally, an eclipsed moon is a contradiction. At the time we should be celebrating the fullness of the Mother, we see her shrouded like the Crone. It is a powerful and sacred energy. Much like the time of Mercury in retrograde, it is a good time for inner reflection, or for spellwork that involves protection, calming, and guidance. Remember that the moon is full for three days. If you really need something, like prosperity or success, you can work that on the day following the eclipse.

Have a look at NASA's Eclipse Page for some more information and specific times. If you are in the right area, enjoy the view!

A Little Follow-Up

I took the stub and wax drippings from my candle spell with me to my appointment this afternoon. At a discrete moment, I dropped them in the front yard, thereby drawing the connection to the immediate goal.

The process is underway. I need to be approved for the loan and by the community association, but I'm not worried about either. We're hoping to settle in a month. For some reason, taking on more debt than I've ever had in my life is very exciting!

Impromptu Simple Candle Spell

I love simple candle spells. If you need to do a little magic, light a candle (of course, it's more involved than that).

Today, I had occasion and need for a simple spell. Even though Mercury is still in retrograde, all other conditions lined up perfectly. The first is that the moon is waxing, a perfect time for calling something to you. The second is that it is morning, the day is just getting started, yet another perfect time for calling something to you. The third is that I ordered early enough so that the right supplies would be here when I needed them. And the time to work on this need presented itself.

I am looking to change my residence. Without going too much into detail, this is something that I desperately need. My current living arrangement, while allowing quite a bit of freedom, is choking me in other ways. I started the ball rolling in December. This afternoon, I have an appointment to see the dwelling I've been considering, and possibly put a contract on it.

I took a brown candle, brown being the color of homes, and placed it in a sun-shaped pewter holder. With my right index finger, I carved a little house into the wax. I then filled myself with my need and charged my candle with it. I gave it some Reiki for that extra push, and set it down in front of the fireplace in the South wall. I cast my circle and called on the goddess Hestia, goddess of the hearth and the eternal flame. I told the goddess of my need and my desire and lit the candle. I meditated before it, reflecting on what I need to happen this afternoon, opened my circle, and left the candle to burn down, releasing the energy to work towards my goal.

And this goal has been on my mind for years, but I had every time prior to now hit a complete and utter dead-end. There are no more dead ends. This is the final option, and it is going to go in my favor. I need it to, and I know the goddess will help me make it happen.

Happy Imbolc!

There is a lot going on for this fire festival. Called Candlemas by Christians, we continue the lighting of fires or candles to help bring back the warmth of the sun. We also celebrate the first signs of Spring with early flowers and sheep's milk (seasonally, this is the time of lambing). The Maiden is the Goddess of this festival, usually personified in the Irish Goddess Brigid.

This festival is good for performing acts of divination, symbolized in the crossroads, and many things that involve purifying and protecting the home. In some traditions, this is the marriage festival, we see the Maiden Goddess on her marriage bed.

This is an important festival to me. My patron Goddess is one of the Maiden Goddesses, so I celebrate with her on this day (I also have an affinity for Brigid). It also occurs opposite my patron God's festival day. Interesting that it works out this way! By sheer timing circumstance, I was able to do something much more elaborate for this Sabbat than the smaller scale that I am often restricted to doing.

My first act of celebration began on the eve. Since we welcome the coming Spring, this is a good time for Spring cleaning. There is more cleaning than can actually be completed in one day in my current living conditions, but a little here and there helps. What couldn't get more specialized attention got a symbolic sweep from my besom.



My altar was set on my tarot chest for this ritual and I cast my circle around it. On a lacy white altar cloth, I placed a bayberry candle to continue to bring in the light in the center of the symbols of the elements: a quartz crystal for earth, rose incense for air, a lava rock for fire, and a special shell for water. A basket for Brigid's bed was set to the left of the altar, and within it I placed two corn dollies from the harvest at Lughnasadh, one for the Goddess, and one for the God. Using strips of hay, I wove a kind of sunwheel called Brigid's Cross. This symbol has come to mean many things through the years, most agree it is a reflection of the cycle of seasons. They are hung in the home for protection and blessings. For now, mine will sit on my altar.

I followed the making of my sun cross with some pendulum divination. Since this festival has much to do with the home, my questions were home-related. This is also quite appropriate as I have been in search of a new place to live.

I hope this fire festival, and the blessed marriage, is a wonderful day for everyone!

Keep Your Wits

Today began the first period of Mercury retrograde for this year.

The other planets of our solar system move around the sun like Earth does (we should all know this!). There are times when the planets appear to be moving in the opposite direction. This occurs when they are on the other side of the sun than we are; it's all about perspective, they're not actually moving backwards, it just looks like it from our point of view on Earth. Every planet has a period of retrograde, Mercury has several during the course of our calendar because that year is a lot shorter than ours. Mercury's retrograde also seems to affect us more than any other planet. Perhaps it is its nearness to us and its nearness to the sun (relatively speaking), or the fact that it happens so often during our year.

Whatever the reason, most people believe this three-week period of time has a direct effect on us. Mercury governs aspects of the mind, communication, business, travel. This is a good time for meditation and mental exploration of your inner self. The other areas seem to be stalled or halted during this time, so they say it's not a good time to sign a contract or start a new business venture. People tend to find it more difficult to communicate what they wish, or find information they are looking for.

With all that in mind, don't be afraid of this time. For one, you can use it for that self reflection that many of us don't seem to do very often, or to pick up a project you had started but never got around to finishing. While it is advised to not start new things, sometimes you have to. Add a little determination to your purpose and don't let the motion of the planets stop you.

A Tiny Update

I never really liked links that go no where, so I changed that. The articles are still not finished, but now you will go to a nifty 404 page with something to look at, and links to help you move on.

I feel accomplished!

And for those of you who want to know, because I don't think I've said, the little icon that comes up when you load the Arcanum or save it to your favorites list is a small piece of the Ace of Wands artwork from the tarot deck I am designing. I may change this icon at some point, but I'm happy with it just being there for now.

Full Wolf Moon

I hope everyone had a wonderful Full Wolf Moon Esbat. This moon is so named because it is said that wolves could be heard howling in hunger in the barren winter.

You may recall that I've been working some candle magick since the last full moon, and that energy came to a head last night. My current circumstances also necessitated some additional working. It so happens that this moon is good for courage and cunning (think attributes of the wolf), and that's exactly what I needed.

In a very short amount of time, my work situation became very stressful. I got a promotion (maybe a little bit of previous success/prosperity candle magick working for me) but the amount of extra work that they've put on me since is impossible to get done in eight hours. My bosses also have a nice habit of getting angry with me when deadlines are not met because they told me to ignore them. I admit, the stress is not all them, a lot of it is how I am reacting. I need to stay in this job for a while yet, so I decided to take this Wolf Moon and do something about it.

I set my altar with my candles from the other spell burning away, and meditated on the new task. I took three lengths of black embroidery floss and began braiding them together. I enjoy performing knot magick, perhaps that's the sailor in me. Embroidery floss is a great material because it is made of a natural fiber, cotton, and comes in a variety of colors for any purpose you can imagine. I chose black because I need to bind the negativity involved in the situation, theirs and mine. Braiding is what makes the three pieces of floss into a cord for a bit of added thickness, and it also serves a bit of its own binding.

When my cord had been braided, I tied two knots in it. One for the outside influences of negativity, and one for my own. Before the tying of each knot, I thought about the situation; the negativity coming from my bosses, the unfairness I felt at being yelled at though I did what they asked. I called it all forward, and I got angry about it, and I tied it up in my knot, to bind and hold it there where it won't be released to wreak havoc on my life. I did the same thing for the other knot, only this time, it was more like looking at their point of view; how I reacted that upset them, what I could have done better but didn't because I was so angry at them I didn't see what I was doing. Then I tied my knot and bound that part up too.

The last step was to tie this knotted cord to my security badge. This is something that must be with me at all times while I'm at the office, and it literally ties what I am trying to contain to my work environment.

You may look at what I've done and think it means I did magick on my bosses. That is not so. What I have done was to take the feelings that their actions bring out in me and bind them. It will help me to see that they're not doing these things because they want to cause trouble for me, and it will remind me that I am a good worker and can make better choices. There have already been a few instances this morning where I had to think of my cord hanging from my badge and remember that only I control how I act and react.

Still a New Year

Even if we celebrate one revolution of the wheel at Samhain, we can still celebrate the Gregorian New Year (I celebrate Chinese New Year too). This holiday tends to be filled with far less magickal things.

There is something I do every New Year. Not unlike my annual, Sabbat-based tarot reading at Samhain, I also perform a reading for the year at this time. This reading involves thirteen cards, one for every month and one for the year in general. I used the Hansen-Roberts deck, the deck I use most often.

January's card indicates there is a plan in action. It is slow going and subtle, but present nonetheless. February will be a conflict. There are trials that will need to be overcome. In March, I will start to see the fruits of my labor. My hard work will pay off. April will see a very sudden change, but that leads to May, a time of new prosperity and harmony. June relates to a plan set in motion. Unlike January's subtlety, this one is out in the open. In July, the results of all my efforts will be realized. August will be a period of transition. September will see some setbacks, and it would be really wise to not spend a lot of money. I need to be on the look out for an unfavorable individual in October. I'll take a big chance in November, and December will see something of a stalemate. Overall, for the year, I'm looking at a gradual change. What I want to accomplish is met with obstacles that will need to be overcome.

One might look at this reading and think that means 2008 will be a tough year for me. I'm not going to deny that, but the cards don't show what will absolutely be. They show only one possibility, in a world of possibilities. Not the least of which is that the knowledge of this potential path could change the current course altogether. I do have plans for 2008, and I know they won't be simple. I also know they're going to happen, whether it's a long hard road or not.