Yuletide and New Year blessings one and all!

I hope everyone had a lovely Yule/Xmas and is looking forward to the New Year as we pass from 2011 to the much anticipated (and in some cases dreaded) 2012.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Hogmanay and lights a candle to the goddess and the god, or at least toasts them 

I am a subscriber to Quest magazine, a wonderful little quarterly on the ‘Magical Heritage of the West’ and a bargain at £2.50 an issue (if you are interested, write to QUEST, BCM S C L Quest, London WC1N 3XX – yup, no email).

I do get annoyed though, when this old idea is perpetuated – that of our ancestors being idiots. I know the people writing and speaking of this do not mean it this way but that is what their idea clearly hints at. The folks of old prayed for the return of the sun. That is the most ludicrous thing I have ever heard. They were observers, they made Stonehenge and Callanish, built the pyramids of Egypt and Mexico, carved the stones in Petra and built the terracotta army but they didn’t know the sun would return?!?! Utter guff.

What people should be writing is that they prayed for a good year, weather that would benefit the harvest, enough sun for crops to grow but not so strong that they would be without water, for illnesses to be minor and preferably not to touch their family, and for their livestock to remain healthy. These would have been their fears, not whether the sun would return – credit them with the intelligence they surely had!

Anyway, rant over, I do hope you all have a wonderful time and that 2012 is a fine, fun and fulfilling year (without the whole end of the world thingy).

Blessings xxx

On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scoltand about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback:

The Island of the Mist is book 2

The Stone in the Sword is book 1

The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats:

The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin

Winter Solstice 2011

Winter Solstice rapidly approaches and is late this year, the 22nd of December. Many people don’t realise that this is not a fixed date, such as Halloween, but a date dependant on astronomical movements. Winter Solstice falls on either the 20th, 21st or 22nd of December according to the shortest day of the year, and more importantly, the longest night.
After this day, light begins to return to the northern hemisphere. The longest night is very important, as witnessed by Newgrange and Stonehenge, both of which were built to align with this event. This was a time of secrets revealed, celebration and observance.
I often wonder how many people, like me, celebrate both Yule and Christmas. This is habit when you grow up in a house where you are raised as Christian and your family continue to be Christian. It meant gifts waited until the 25th.
This year, I am at home with my husband and cats and we are doing the same, mostly out of habit but also because it would be strange not.
Yule was a time of ham and burning the Yule log, of decorating the home with holly and mistletoe, a time of home, hearth and family. I would imagine it would be easy to incorporate a vegetarian nut loaf in here for those who don’t eat meat, a sort of Yule log in itself.
In Scotland, temperatures are rapidly falling and I imagine that much of the northern hemisphere is experiencing the same, many to greater degrees. Staying warm is very important, as is looking out for elderly neighbours and making sure they are ok – many die from hypothermia at this time of year.
Blessings to you and yours.

The Month of the Owl in the Native American Tradition

From the 23rd of November to the 21st of December, we are in the month of the owl, according to the Native American Tradition.

Many shamans and those who follow the Native American Tradition will know this is the month of objectivity with a view to communication and understanding. The emotions during this month are warm and the personality is that of the adventurer, the warm-hearted, independent and jovial individual.

This is the winter month of the longest nights and shortest days, of good things happening on a Thursday. A similar energy for this month would be a Jupiter energy and Sagittarius in W astrology.

Versatility and adaptability are essential for survival and conscientiousness is necessary at this time. We must also be aware of being tactless, impetuous and restless. This is a month to avoid excess, greed and exaggeration (which can be hard at Yule/Xmas).

When working with symbols etc, gold is the colour, mistletoe the plant and black obsidian the mineral. The animal is the owl, but grizzly bear will also protect.
It is also a good time for observation – of yourself as well as others/nature.

On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scoltand about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback:

The Island of the Mist is book 2

The Stone in the Sword is book 1

The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats:

The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin

The Celtic Tree Month of Elder – 25th Nov to 23rd Dec

The Celtic Tree Month is now Elder and this is a wonderful month for creativity. This is the month of Venus and green is the colour, malachite the stone. The element of this Celtic month is air. When speaking of deity, we are looking at the crone phase, and Elder represents the Crone.

It was believed that if someone cut up an elder the tree spirit or dryad would follow the wood and haunt the people.

Given that the Elder Tree Month incorporates the winter solstice, this is a great tree to focus on for working with Sun God or Goddess work.

Elder is said to be a tree of healing, of visions/divination/prophecy and cleansing. It can be used for Faery magic, spiritual works, offerings, love work, protection, prosperity and exorcisms. Elder is very helpful when dealing with natural magic and even has folklore links of warding off vampires!!

Many magical tools are made from Elder, such as wands and brooms.

Al in all, this is a very helpful and magical tree, with deep roots in folklore (pun intended).

A simple way to start, if you don’t have access to an Elder tree, is to look at the image of the tree I have here and meditate on it, or meditate on the word to gain depths on its meaning and how you can work with it/bring it into your life.

On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scoltand about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback:

The Island of the Mist is book 2

The Stone in the Sword is book 1

The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats:

The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin

Full Moons and November

I was looking up what the moon in November is called, as I remember from childhood that it does have a name like Harvest Moon and Hunter's Moon but I just could not remember it. There are many sites out there that mention names but these are recent inventions, such as Dark Moon - you just have to have seen the moon a couple of nights ago to know this is a ridiculous name for this month. With dark skies, this moon is especially bright.

While I am aware that much knowledge has been lost over several centuries, making up names that have no relevance is not the answer. We need to observe nature before we decide what we should be calling certain objects.

So for me, I would think Bright Moon a far better, more relevant name but that is just my opinion.

Have a wonderful Autumn's end. Get out while its stil warm enough to and enjoy all the vibrant colours before they disappear.
Blessings :D

Halloween / Samhain – 31st of October

The last day of the Celtic year is almost upon us and it is in times like this that our inner child is revealed.

This is a time of partying, dressing up, bobbing for apples and making a mess. We want to laugh, to be scared and feel that rush of adrenalin. But we also want to mark the occasion solemnly, a remembrance of our ancestors, of those loved ones who have passed on as the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest at this time of year.

Unlike several of the other festivals of the Wheel of the Year, Hallowe’en is a fixed date. We do not wait for any seasonal signs for this particular date. It is the pivotal point on which the rest of the year rotates. As the majority of you already know what this date is, I don’t want to reiterate what you already know.

So how do we commemorate this occasion? A party? Absolutely, this is one of my favourite times of year and one time when I really do think a party is in order. But this year, having lost a parent, I personally will not be partying. I will be casting a circle and connecting with the energies I find within it.

This has also always been a time of divination. Crystal balls and scrying tend to be the most common forms at this time. Scrying is the art of looking into something (such as a candle flame, a dark bowl of water or a blackened mirror (using a crystal ball is in fact a type of scrying)) and using it as a focus for images to form.

I tend to find that in many cases, it is best to begin scrying with your own element. I am a fire sign, so I find staring into flames far easier than staring into a bowl of water, but do try each method and see what works best, and don’t forget incense smoke for air signs.

Look into the object and relax, becoming aware of your breathing. Don’t be afraid to blink, it won’t interfere with the process. Let any thoughts or images form in your mind and don’t worry if they seem irrelevant at the time. Write down any impressions you get at the end of your session.

For all of you, I hope you have a wonderful Hallowe’en/Samhain :-)

Please note: scrying in blue is a link to page on how to scry xx

Celtic Month of the Ivy Tree - October

Ivy in the Celtic Tree Lore came into cycle on the 30th of September and lasts to the 27th of October this year.

Ivy is the symbol of resurrection and is therefore associated with winter and especially with Yule/Xmas, for example ‘The Holy and the Ivy’.

Magically, Ivy is an excellent plant to use when carrying out planetary magic and would be used in association with Jupiter and also with the Sun and very occasionally Saturn. Given that many ivy leaves are five pointed, they are therefore also a plant of the Goddess in general.

What sort of magic to use Ivy with?
Strength of character and/or emotions work, any fears/phobias can be aided by working with ivy.
Ivy can be used in any magical/spiritual workings regarding protection, healing, fertility and even exorcisms. It is also linked to fidelity and marital bliss and has been used in this kind of working, as well as used during handfastings (often intertwined with holly). Many use it as a good luck charm or as a friendship talisman.
Ivy can also be used as a means for creative inspiration.
Finally, ivy was most often used (again in assoc with holly) as an altar decoration during Yuletide.

When using this plant, other correspondences include:
Colour: blue
Day: Thursday
Gemstone: Yellow Serpentine

On another note, I have written 3 books. 2 are part of a series set in Scoltand about the Sidhe, fairy folk. Available on kindle and in paperback:

The Island of the Mist is book 2

The Stone in the Sword is book 1

The 3rd book is an adult, sexy witchy werewolf/vampire story set in New York and featuring a strong female lead character, again available in kindle and paperback formats:

The Wolf, the Witch and the Coffin