The sensuality of April

April is a month of indulgence, of tactile pleasure and revelling in your own sensality.

This does not matter whether you are single, in a relationship, married or in a friends with benfits place. Being aware of your body and your physical needs is paramount just now. We enter into the phase of te year where the Goddess and God are carrying out the mating dance or courtship ritual. It is a time of personal beauty and becoming aware of what makes you feel good physically and emotionally.

Spending time with friends and loved ones is important, as touch (be it in the form of hugs/cuddles or something more intimate) is an essential part of life, especially just now. Physical contact is as necessary to humans as to any other animal. We need to feel loved and we are by nature a tactile species.

Surround yourself with things you enjoy the feel of - be it silk cushions, cotton sheets, fluffy slippers or whatever, revel in your sense of touch.

Getting your hands dirty can be another way to fill your senses - soil, baking, hand painting, anything where you are coating your hands in something you enjoy the feel of is of great benefit and can really boost your creative energies.

We are in the belly of Aries just now, so allow your creativity to be expressed. This is a great time to start artistic processes!

If you do have someone special in your life, now is the time to enjoy showing that person how you feel, what you like and learning what they like. This is, as mentioned earlier, less about sex and more about sensuality and being tactile. Becoming intimate with another person, preferrably someone who makes your heart sing!

If you are single, enjoy yourself! Learning what makes you feel incredibly feminine (or masculine), what pushes your buttons is as essential to an individual out of a relationship as it is to someone in one. There is nothing wrong with becoming intimate with ones self, in fact it is very healthy. Everyone needs phycail pleasure.

On that note, I have written a bit of asexy witchy/werewolfy book (not erocita, but sexy). It is available on kindle now, and paperback soon.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Wolf-Witch-Coffin-ebook/dp/B00CCWL6ES/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366023812&sr=8-1&keywords=the+wolf%2C+the+witch+and+the+coffin

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

Craft Books

There are literally thousands of books out there about the craft, paganism and natural magic. I have to say, many of them are repetitive and more than a little incorrect on some basics. I'm not here to say they should say this or that, I just want to make one point clear. Any chakra work you take on, if a book tells you to close your chakras back down after an exercise, dump the book. Chakras are your energy centres. When you open them, clean them, get them spinning away, why on earth would you then close then? You wouldn't, not if you know what you are doing.

The problem is that many beginners (and some not so beginners) don;'t know this sort of thing and it is very unhealthy that so many books continually write this. Elen Hawke, Sacred Round, is one such a book. She has a nice way of writing and the book is the usually basic wicca 101. However, I was shocked when she tells her readers to close the chakras down after an exercise. I don't want to pick on one writer, she was the first that came to mind. She has other books which are very good but I would avoid the one mentioned above.

Another thing that I find amusing is that many writers read books like Marian Green's A Witch Alone, Rae Beth's Hedgewitch and Doreen Valiente's Natural Magic, then re-write them and publish their own versions. Amber K is one such a writer but there are possibly hundreds of others.

I would recommend any beginner, or someone who has a little knowledge but who wants more, to go to these more original sources mentioned above. Marian Green has been writing for decades on magic and witchcraft and her book, A Witch Alone, is very good. Doreen Valiente is an original, having been part of Gerald Gardner's circle, his high priestess. She was highly knowledgeable. Rae Beth writes in a unique manner, as a series of letters and knows her folklore very well. Starhawk is another good, solid craft writer, who talks about a range of subjects.

For a more general pagan book, a wonderful start is Phoenix from the Flames by Vivienne Crowley - a wonderful read and it, like the others mentioned above, have excellent further reading suggestions.

Another thing to do when trying to figure out which books to buy, especially if you are wanting something beyond witchcraft 101, is look at the contents. If it's talking about magical tools, the elements and creating sacred space, then it's not a more advanced book - it's a 101. An advanced book will talk about making your own spells, how to use ritual for learning more about yourself and the world around you (or talk about archetypes), etc.

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

Yule - a God Festival

Yule, or Winter Solstice, is classed as a god festival, as it is the time when the god is reborn. As we know, Christ was not born in December, but rather around October but his birth date was moved forward to cover this pagan festival, a time in which Mithras returns to the world, bringing the light with him. Balder, the Norse God, is also associated with this time of year, and is classed as a Holly God.

This is not to say that the Goddess is ignored - far from it but she does go into recuperation here, to reappear rejuvinated as the maiden at Imbolc.

The festivals at this time celebrated the return of the light, not because, as many patronising scholars believe, that they feared it would not return, but because they celebrated the increasing length of the day, moving out of the long dark nights.

Our ancestors burned the yule log as a form of protection and as a symbol of that light. This log was large, to last as long as possible. Stories were told, food was elaborate and drinking and dancing was a must. Life was short in these times and so much more precious as a result. They did not have our antibiotics, central heating, supermarkets for food whenever they needed it. In this we are very lucky and I find myself shaking my head at people who wish to harken back to 'the old days' - when food was scarce, women were objects and if you were of a different land/colour you were treated poorly.

I am thankful to have been born in these times. while I think too many people still ignore nature, I am thankful that we have advanced medically (although some of those advances have high side effects), academically and liberally.

As you will know, Yule is also the Winter Solstice. This year it is on the 21st of December but that is not always the case, as the position of the sun changes each year. It is always between the 20th and 22nd though.

Wherever you are, whomever you are with I hope you have a wonderful, warm and merry yule.

BB

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

Runes and divination

This is the time of year we tend to turn inward and begin looking to our studies in the field of witchcraft, druidry etc. We also look for guidance from divinatory and oracular sources.

Runes have been about for well over a millenia. They were used by Norse, Celtic, Saxon and a whole host of other peoples through time and were both used to divine the future and guidance and for protection/cursing and other forms of ward, amulet and talismen.

Runes are similar to the tarot in that each symbol has a meaning and together they tell a little about a situation or possible outcomes. Unlike the tarot, runes can also be used to protect possessions and homes, cars, people and so on. They draw in the energy that they symbolise.

A good introduction to runes is http://www.amazon.co.uk/Principles-Runes-only-introduction-youll/dp/0722538839/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351002931&sr=1-1
Actually, the principles range is good for many introductions to things - like wicca, paganism etc.

This book offers information on empowering yourself, healing, magic and divination. it's a great read if you can get it.

Runes hae been used in magic for a very long time and are often overshadowed by the tarot because they are seen as less glamorous, are not featured in movies as muchand just don't look as 'cool' as thecardsbut theyare at least as powerful. I strogly recommend dipping into this very useful system and making your own runes will offer far more power than any sop/internet bought set. Use wood, stone or bone.

Best of luck onyour journey :D

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 witching month

This is the busiest and most witchy time of the year. Indeed, the Celtic (which also happens to be teh witch as well) New Year takes place on Hallowe'en.

October is the month of divination, crafts and getting out and about while its still warm enough to do that.

At this time of year we tend (for those of us inclined) to get the knitting needles/crochet hooks out, sewing kits, paints or whatever else you like to do that's crafty, to make things for the coming winter. These can be practical, for staying warm, or as gifts for others. This is why it is called witchCraft. We begin baking and really making home homey.

At the same time we want to know a little bit more about ourselves/our futures/ loved ones futures. We look inward for answers.

Divination comes in many forms, These include scrying, tarot, runes, crystal ball, oracles/omens, ogham and many other forms of looking.

We can also better see the skies at this time of year and this month we have 2 separate meteor shower. On the 7th and 8th of October are the Draconids (a good time to use ancestral spells/shamanic ancestor workings, anything to re-connect with family) and on the 21st are the Orionids (very good for astral work, connecting with the akashic records and past life regression works).

Both meteor showers are also a time for working with 2 elements in particular - fire and air.

Working on these nights is almost as powerful as working with storm energy but half as dangerous!

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

Fertility Goddesses

I’ve always thought it odd that some sites state appealing to Spring Goddesses for fertility when it is the mother goddesses you should really be leaning towards. After all, they are mothers.

Many people feel that the Spring time is the best time to do these kinds of spells and while I would agree that Spring is the best time of year, any time can be just as viable.

I feel that, before I go any further, I should make a couple of points. If you have actively been trying for a baby for more than a year, go to the doctor. If you have had at least 2 miscarriages (both with confirmed pregnancies before), go to the doctor. There are many reasons people cannot conceive and in many cases, it’s the stress of trying to have a baby. People will say, just relax, it’ll happen. I always found this to be the least helpful thing someone could say, because trying to relax can be one of the most stressful things you can do!

Another more mundane issue – if you are trying for a baby – cut out non-prescription drugs, alcohol, undercooked meat and undercooked eggs (no runny yolk alas). If you happen to like an occasional spliff, stop taking this as it will affect your chances of conceiving.

Finally, regular exercise before pregnancy is a good idea. Yoga is excellent but remember to switch to yoga for pregnancy exercises when you know you are pregnant, as there are many yoga poses you cannot do when pregnant.

So, onto the mother Goddesses:
Demeter – Greek mother goddess of fecundity, the harvest and abundance. Many prayed to her for babies, given how protective she was with her own daughter.

Ceres – Demeter counterpart in Rome, she is the mother of grain, fertility and agriculture.

Isis – perhaps the most famous Goddess around, her image was taken by Christianity and swapped for Mary and the baby Jesus. She is a mother Goddess, deity of the heavens and waters and much, much more.

Epona – Gaul/Briton or Celtic mother Goddess. Famous for running and winning a race while heavily pregnant.

Hera – given a bad rep due to Xena Warrior princess (:D), she is the penultimate Greek mother goddess.

Gaia – ultimate Greek mother goddess.

Rhea – a titan Goddess, mother of Zeus.

Frigg – wife of Odin, a Norse mother Goddess.

Durga – perhaps THE Hindu mother Goddess.

Akka – Finnish mother Goddess – her daughter, Sarakka, was especially beneficial to pregnant women.

There are many other out there. This is just a few. If there is a particular pantheon that you prefer to work with then use that pantheon. I have no particular pantheon, although I do work with a patron deity. I tend to ‘borrow’ others when I need to.

A small prayer to this deity that you choose to work with is usually a good place to start. A lot of pagans/witches think of praying as purely a Christian thing but this is very much not the case.

You can draw the energy of this mother deity in to you as the moon grows, asking her to help you conceive, or if you have conceived, to keep the baby, that both you and the baby remain healthy and well throughout the pregnancy.

Bride/Brigid is a midwifery deity. If you are successful and do not have a particular pantheon, or use the Celtic pantheon, she may be a good deity to ask for assistance from during labour.

Wishing you all the best. 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

Dark of the Moon

Tonight will be the dark of the moon, the night before the new moon. This is a very good time for banishing or ridding yourself of anything you do not want, for contacting the spirit world and for working on any inner issues. It is a very good time for really taking a look at yourself on a spiritual and an emotinional level.

The dark of the moon is a time of transition, of making choices, of stepping into the unknown. Hecate (or Hekate) is the goddess of this 'realm'. She is the keeper of the crossroads and the initiator, and indeed many initiations would be carried out at this time, for mystery schools.

So what can we do at this time of month? Look within. Connect the with dark energy, get to know your dark side (dark does not = evil in this, it is merely the things about ourselves that we keep hidden). This is the time to seek out the hidden within as well as without.

If you are thinking of being intiated into something, this is the best time of the month to do it, right before the new moon.

Blessings of the dark moon.

As you may be aware, I have writtena book, available on kindle and now paperback. It is available in Europe as well as the UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Sword-ebook/dp/B006ZQIEPG/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1327179005&sr=1-3

and the US: http://www.amazon.com/Stone-Sword-Kingslayer-Series-ebook/dp/B006ZQIEPG/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1338752368&sr=1-3

The Summer Solstice rapidly approaches and the days grow longer! This is a wonderful festival, not only to the celts, this solstice was celebrated the world over! I hope everyone has the chance to get out and about, enjoying the summer while it is here. I hope that everyone affected by the storms are well and hope that nothing was too badly damaged. This year has been a strange one and will continue to be strange but I do not for one minute think this is anything more than an influenial year, a time of growth and change. I hope that we can all grow and cope with an y hanges facing us! My book, which has a lot of paganism, is now available in paperback as well as kindle! http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Sword-N-Roy/dp/1477466347/ref=sr_1_1_title_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339378508&sr=1-1 May the gods of the summer bring you light, warmth, creativity and prosperity!

Spring is now in the air!

The flowers are blooming, the grass is green and the birds are singing their hearts out. Spring is here with a vengeance!

This time of year is less about inner work and much more about external work. We want to be outside, in the air, with the sun on our skins. Ok, in Scotland, the latter is often harder to get a hold of but we all feel like doing a Julie Andrews in the 'Sound of Music'!

Getting out, even just for a wee walk, is re-connecting with nature. Feeling the ground beneath your feet is a way of drawing earth energy into us. Drawing air into our lungs blows out the cobwebs.

Beltain is fast approaching and this is a wonderful time for fertility magic, for any form of creative magic and for beginning new artistic projects. This is when we are most connected with the earth, when we feel the 'sap rising', the wonderful energy from below that is brought up in the Spring to keep us regenerated through the Summer.

Enjoy the waking of the earth!

A great book to get you going, a book that has pagan references and Sidhe/fairy/fey featuring is this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stone-Sword-ebook/dp/B006ZQIEPG/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1327179005&sr=1-3

Springtime has arrived!

Planting a seed at this time of year is both therapeutic and a way of connecting with the earth. This can be used in many ways, from simply being a symbol of your commitments to something/someone to working earth magic, or some initiatory spell, such as a new start.

Choose a seed or bulb of a flower/plant you like and know well. As you plant it, visualise whatever you are planting it for, so if it is a new business, see it flourishing. If it is the hope of love, see yourself happy rather than with anyone in particular.

Really getting your fingers dirty is part of the key to this, feeling the soil on your skin. There is something tactile about this act and it does bring you closer to your environment, even if only on a micro-scale.

Planting a tree is another option. I would use this for a large project or in memory of someone you love.

Many people mistakenly call this Ostara. This is, as I’m sure I’ve mentioned before, ignorance that has been perpetuated. Ostara was an April Goddess and was never linked to the Spring Equinox. Whichever Goddess/God you feel is right, in a maiden phase is best, would be very suitable here.

Starting the Qabalah - Malkuth

Now is a good time for beginning the qabalah. At this time of year we are more inclined to study and meditate and so the qabalah is a wonderful tool to work with now.

The qabalah is a tool, much like tarot, numerology etc and can be studied for a couple of years or over a lifetime, depending on how deep you wish to plunge into each sephiroth.

Malkuth is the recommended starting point on the Tree of life. Malkuth is the sphere or sephiroth that governs the Earth. The correspondences are:

Colours - black, olive, russet, citrine
Angel - Sandalphon (pronounced San-dal-fon)
God Name - Adonai ha Aretz (as it reads - ai at end of adonai sounds like aye)
Angelic Chorus - The Ashim
Incense - sandalwood
Magical Image - Young maiden, on a throne, crowned
Gifts - Crystals/gem, wheat/grains & perfumes/oils
Crystal - smokey quartz or rock quartz

It is a good idea to begin a course or get a decent book on the qabalah when beginning the tree of life. They will take you on a meditation where you venture into the tree and help you raise the pillars of balance within your temple. You will meet the angel, the magical image and be given the relevant gifts. This is a wonderful exercise that brings surprisingly speedy results. But it has lessons too. Malkuth is the sphere of discrimination among other things, and it helps you to discriminate in life when you need to. It forms the base of your tree and while you can technically start in other spheres, this gives you the foundation and grounds you for the high works later on.

The tree of life looks and is complicated but it is do-able. Taking your time, not expecting to instantly know everything or expecting instant results will make the pathway all the clearer and smoother.

If you struggle to find a decent course or a book that helps, contact me and I'll see what I can do to help.
BB

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