October 8, 2018

What’s Brewing at MAD Goddess?

By JL

Greetings followers. You may have noticed that there are new posts requiring a password to access the content. It’s related to my new Patreon Page – which will be launching in the next few days.  I’m still working out kinks (sigh).

I will provide more information in the coming days. The Patreon page will become a “Compendium of simple witchery for the wise and curious alike.” Just my attempt to pass on the ways of everyday witching in the kitchen, garden and community.

Visit the new, Simple Witchery page for more information!

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October 8, 2018

Casting A Circle for Ritual

By JL

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In your practice of witchcraft, you will often want to cast a circle for ritual, to create a safe space for your craftwork, and sometimes for meditation. As you learn and grow as a witch, you will become more adept, and tweak your circle casting to your liking.

After years of practice, I can cast a circle in mere seconds simply though focused thought.

Let me explain. In Yoga, you learn a technique of breathing your mind and body into relaxation. After some time at practice, simply beginning the breath will trigger the relaxation response. Likewise, when meditating, the place you meditate, the position you take, lighting a candle, playing music—anything you do every time you meditate, signals your body to slip into that calm state.

Because I have cast so many circles I can now create the energy of a protective circle with nothing but thought and focused intention. If I find myself in a situation where I need an especially protective boundary, I can cast one quickly and virtually silently.

Below is an example for casting the circle, followed by an outline of steps for ritual preparation, though circle casting, magical working, to ending with the opening of the circle and releasing energy. 

CIRCLE CASTING

Stand before your altar, indoors or outdoors. Envision that you and your altar are the center of a circle. Begin by facing North and call the elements one at a time in deosil. As your practice grows, you should be able to do this extemporaneously, guided by what you are feeling at the time and the purpose of your ritual or other work. As you call each element, face in that direction and hold your arms up and out. If you use a ritual athame, hold it in both hands and point the blade in the direction of the element as you call.

(Face North) Hail North, element of Earth, energies of the physical world, of all living things, of grounding, foundations, security, and stability. I call upon Gaia, nurturing Mother. Attend my rites.

(Face East) Hail East, element of Air, energies of thought, intellect, ideas and inspiration, the breath of life. I call upon Air. Attend my rites.

(Face South) Hail South, element of Fire, energies of passion, courage and action, the fire of might and transformation. I call upon Fire. Attend my rites.

(Face West) Hail West, element of Water, energies of all emotion, of love and hate, of compassion and fortitude, of bravery and fear. I call upon flowing water that washes me clean and quenches my thirst. I call upon Water. Attend my rites.

*You may light a candle at each direction before you call each, to light their way. Again, this is not necessary. You could also place a crystal at each directional point and in the center. You can cast a circle with absolutely nothing but yourself. You can sit in a cast circle with a single candle, and communicate with your guides. Choose what enhances your rites for you, and what feels right at the time.

Above me, below me, before me, behind me, around me like sphere the circle is cast. (Face your altar) This sacred circle is cast in a place between worlds. May all who enter come in love and trust to aid me (us) in my (our) workings, and may the boundary protect all those within from any who would bring harm or ill intent.

*If you practice with deity or spirit ~ I call (fill in identifier) into the circle (add any qualities or aspects). Example: I call Great Spirit, the creator of all things into my circle. (etc.).

*If you are going to be working with a specific deity for any of your rites, you would call to them at this point, in the same manner, naming them and acknowledging their aspects, especially the aspects you are seeking in your magic, such as protection, strength, compassion, etc. Example: Hail Hekate, guardian of the triple crossroad, I call you into the circle and ask for your wise guidance in my workings, for you see all worlds and all times.

After you have cast the boundary of the circle and called in those you wish to attend, proceed to offering of libations. Hold up the cup with drink. You can offer a portion to Spirit, a deity, or simply to the universal collective or higher self. I offer this drink to (fill in). May none thirst. Then drink from the cup yourself. If you are in circle with others, pass the cup (deosil) and say, May you never thirst. They drink and do the same. When all have partaken, pour any remaining drink onto the ground, into the fire (or if indoors an offering dish).

Repeat the process with the food. Hold it up and say, I offer this food to (fill in). May none hunger. Partake for yourself and pass to others, saying may you never hunger. Give any remaining food to the ground, fire or offering dish. If using an offering dish, it should be placed outdoors after ritual.

When you have completed the offerings, move onto any craft work, meditation, communicating with Spirit, deity, guides – drumming, dancing, however you choose to honor the purpose of your ritual.  Though ritual and rites are two words often interchanged, I feel that ritual is all of it, from preparation through feasting—and the rites refer to the specific workings done while in circle.

Along with creating a protective boundary, the circle also serves the purpose of containing the energy of the magic you work, the energy of your intention. You can you sound and movement to raise that energy to higher levels, waling or dancing around the circle, singing, clapping, drumming, spinning (don’t get dizzy).

When your ritual, craft workings and raising energy are complete, open the circle in the reverse order that it was cast. First bid farewell to any specific spirits/deities you called up, then to God/dess. Bid farewell to the elements from Water to Earth, in widdershins direction (counter clockwise). If you lit candles blow each one out, one at time, after you bid farewell.

Farewell (deity/spirits) and all beings who entered the circle and joined in my (our), rites. I (we) thank you for your presence. Blessed be and journey well.

Farewell West, element of water. Thank you for your energy of purification, fluid movement, quenching and hydrating (add general energies that apply, especially those specific to the ritual). Blessed be and journey well.

Repeat for the remaining directions/elements.

If others have joined you for ritual, you can join hands before saying ~

Merry meet, merry part and merry meet again. The circle is open but never unbroken.

Whether holding hands or alone, raise your hands up swiftly toward the sky, releasing the energy and magic that was contained in the circle, out to the universe to do it’s work. A little vocalizing never hurts, do what you feel—shout, sing, try making a unique tribal call!  If this isn’t coming easy, start with Magic, do your work!

Ritual work can leave you feeling spacey, even a bit shakey. Proceed to feasting to ground and center. You can also, literally, touch the ground with your palms and visualize absorbing Mother Earth’s grounding energy.

THE OUTLINE

Preparation:

    • Gather all altar supplies, tools and offerings.
    • Supplies and tools should be cleaned and consecrated to your work. Ideally, your tools are most often in this state and ready to be used. Read about cleaning, consecrating, and charging tools here.
    • Self purification. A ritual bath or other cleansing method.
    • Set up your altar using representations for elements, spirit/deity, candles, etc.

Cleanse and Consecrate Your Space:

This can be done with herbal smudging, incense, or sacred water. Read about making your own pagan holy water here. Circle around in a deosil direction (clockwise movement), allowing the smoke or sprinkling the water in a boundary around the circle. You may want to speak words of clearing and blessing, such as. “I clear this space and these tools of all negative energy and bless them for my sacred work.”

Clothing:

Ritual garb is an individual choice. Wear whatever feels appropriate, but having special garments only for ritual (a simple gown or robe) for ritual adds to setting the energy. After you have prepared yourself, prepare your space and altar. It is not true that ritual must be performed sky-clad (nude). Do so if you’re comfortable, don’t worry about it if not.

Altar:

Your altar can be quite simple, with a representation for the four elemental energies—Earth, Air, Water, Fire. This is important, the essence of witchcraft is understanding and working with nature, and is governed by the laws of nature and the laws of physics. (For deeper research, look into string theory and witchcraft).

If you practice with deity or the premise of an all powerful Spirit, you should have a representation of that present. It can be a printed image, a figurine or statue—it can be a rock you have consecrated to hold the energy of your deity.

Cast the Circle:

      • Call directions/elements
      • Call deity or other entities as per your beliefs and purpose of your working.

Honoring:

    • Speak to the purpose of the ritual (A sabbat, a special honoring or request, etc)
    • Honor the energies/deities/others
    • Express gratitude for all that has been given
    • Ask for what you want (if nothing specific, ask for continued blessings and guidance on your path)

Offering:

Offering ale and cakes, or libation. This can be any beverage and bite of food you desire. It can be a deity’s favorite, it can be your favorite shared with deity. It can be the same thing every time if that’s what you want—wine and bread, milk and cookies, water and fruit . . .

Spells/Workings:

Any special crafting or workings, such as making a seasonal corn dolly, mixing up an elixir, creating a spell jar, or simply putting your crystals or other tools in the circle for consecrating to a specific purpose (protection, abundance, etc). You can use this time to communicate with your guides or deity (just listening counts). You can sing, dance, drum, pantomime, recite verse. This is the time to honor your craft and all the workings thereof.

Give Thanks and Open the Circle:

Give thanks to all beings and energies called into the circle. Do this in the reverse order that they were welcomed – God/Goddess, other deities and beings, elements/directions.

Grounding:

It is best practice to ground after holding ritual rites or participating in them. This is easily done with physical movement, and food and drink. Thus, the traditional feasting after opening the circle.

 

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October 1, 2018

Witchy Words: A Beginner’s Glossary

By JL

BOSWhat’s a magical tradition without mysterious words that sound unusual to our ears? Well, in my opinion, not nearly as much fun.

Wait—what? Fun?

I know, you’re not here to fool around. You’re serious about witchcraft, not one of those fluffy bunnies you’ve heard about, scared of their own shadow, literally.  (We’ll talk about shadow work another time).

It’s okay. Witchcraft done right is like anything else in life; optimally what we strive for is healthy balance in all things. The MAD Goddess’s motto is, “Life wants to be fun. Let it.” because most of us can benefit from learning how to get out of own way.

So as you travel along your path of becoming witchy, remember to look for the fun.

Now, on to the mysterious and unusual words! This is by no means a complete list. It’s more of the need-to-know, pared down, starter version. I’ve left out commonly understood terms like consecration and I’m saving words that apply to more advanced practice for later in the journey. Because . . . even a brain surgeon starts with basic anatomy. (Read more about getting started).

I’m keeping the definitions brief. A curious witch’s best tool on the internet is her fingertips . . . to type in searches for more information. Why, because a witch must learn to let her curiosity lead her to knowledge. Also, because I believe one of the most important factors in becoming a witch is taking personal responsibility.

So, this here’s a list to get you started. May it take far in your witch’s quest—the pursuit of knowledge.

What does it mean? What does it do? How do I use it?

ale and cakes: an offering of food and drink to the Goddess/God during ceremony.

athame (ath-a-may): A double-edged dagger or blade, usually with a handle of natural material, like bone, antler or wood. Used primarily as symbolism for ceremonial purpose. Associated with the element of fire, it is commonly used to direct energy, as when casting a circle.

aether (ee-ther): Referring to the upper atmosphere, heaven/heavenly bodies, or the spirit world. Aristotle considered it to be the fifth element—earth, air, fire, water, aether. This also places it at the fifth, upper point of the pentacle, with north corresponding to the physical body, east corresponding to mind (intellect/thought), fire corresponding to heart (passion/courage/fire in the blood), and water corresponding to the soul (love/compassion).

balefire: Bonfire

bane: Something destructive, harmful, that causes great stress. To be baneful to another is to be disdainful or act in hurtful, cruel ways toward them. Literally, a bane is a poisonous substance that can cause severe illness or death, such as henbane, which will kill chickens if they ingest it.

besom: The witch’s magical broom, not used for mundane cleaning, but directing energy.  Often handmade (but you can buy decent ones during the Halloween season). One uses their besom to magically sweep unwanted energy from a space. The bristles of a besom should never touch the floor, rather sweep the “space” just above the floor.

book of shadows: Also BOS—This is the practicing witch’s personal diary of sorts. The place to record useful or often used knowledge/reference, but more so the record of the journey, spells cast, herbs used, elixirs and potions made and the results of all of it. Think of it like a scientists notebook, where each magical working is described and the results are recorded.

cakes and ale: (see above)

casting: refers to casting (performing or working) a spell, and also casting a circle. In casting a spell, the witch creates or manifests energy and sends it out to do it’s work. A circle is cast to create a closed, sacred and protected space for rituals/rites or other workings by calling quarters—summoning the energy of the elements at each compass direction to create the boundary.

cauldron: A cauldron is traditionally a a deep, rounded pot, most often of cast iron or other heavy metal, used for cooking over an open flame. In witchcraft, it is symbolic of the womb and creation. They mystery of the cauldron refers to the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Modern witches are pretty much cooking up their potions and brew in the kitchen on modern appliances – but many use a cauldron indoors for safely burning herbs, or written spells, petitions and symbols of what they want to release.

circle: The cast circle is a sacred and protected space “between worlds” where the witch performs ceremony, ritual or rites. When the circle is cast, it is said to be closed. When ritual/rites are complete, the circle is opened by releasing the elemental energies in widdershin (reverse) order. Circle may also more casually refer to a group of like minded seekers/practitioners that are not specifically a coven.

dark moon: The phase of the moon immediately before new moon, when there is no visible moonlight. Considered a favorable time for doing divination and shadow work. More often than not dark moon is interchangeable with the calendar occurrence of the new moon, though some observe it the day before the new moon.

*When working with the energies of any moon phase, most practitioners agree that while the optimal time is that nearest the exact astrological occurrence, there is a three day window of opportunity—day before, day of, and day following.

deosil (dee-oh-sil): clockwise direction in the northern hemisphere, and counter-clockwise direction in southern hemisphere. As such, this also refers to going with the natural flow.

directionals: The cardinal directions are compass points—north, east, south and west. Directionals refer to the energies of these, north corresponding to earth, grounding, roots, stability, rocks, minerals, etc. East corresponds to air and inspiration, the breath of life, the unseen wind, intellect, thought, ideas. South corresponds to fire, passion, courage, action, destruction and renewal (as rising from the ashes). West corresponds to water, fluidity, purification matters of the heart, emotions on both sides of the scale, love and hate, joy and sorrow, etc.

elementals: Earth, Air, Fire Water, and sometimes—or by your preference—Aether/Spirit. See directionals above. Casting a circle begins with calling the elementals to mark the boundaries.

esbat: The full moon, and/or the festivals, rites and observances of such.

grimoire: Often mistaken with a book of shadows (BOS), the grimoire is more of a compendium of necessary information, including correspondences, astrological facts, magical plant properties, etc. Not as personal as a BOS, a grimoire is more of an all encompassing reference to all things witchy.

grounding: Very literally, connecting to the ground by the act of touching firm ground after magical workings. Grounding is thought to discharge the energy that gives one a “spacey” or anxious/agitated feeling. In some cases, anything that connects you back to your physical body is considered grounding. Often times eating a small bit of food is used in this manner. Also interchangeable with the practice of centering oneself before magical workings or meditation – sending your metaphysical “roots” deep into the earth.

hex: From the German language, hexe, meaning witch. A hex is used to create bad luck on someone else. A hex sign is often used to protect oneself from incoming hexes.

pentacle: A five pointed star inside a circle.

pentagram: A five-pointed star. Some practitioners believe the points represent the four elements, with the 5th (upward) point representing spirit.
Note ~ It is common practice to position the star pointing upward. A downward, five pointed star denotes satanism.

rite/ritual: Also ceremony. Performing magical practice (chants, symbolism, correspondence, etc) for the purpose of devotion, worship, petition, intercession/assistance, manifestation, etc. The purpose is to create focused energy to a desired purpose and then release the energy to “do it’s work”.

sabbat: The eight seasonal observances on the wheel of the year. Sabbats fall on or near many Christian observances, and many pagans believe that the Christian holidays both appropriated pagan culture, and were also an effort to appease the pagan community.

scry: A form a divination using a reflective surface such as mirror, crystal ball, bowl of water, or a body of water – ideally under a full moon, to see images that convey a message.

stang: Wooden staff or wand.

talisman: an object most often carried or worn (can be displayed on an altar), believed to have some sacred properties, or imbued with specific properties by the witch. Common uses for talisman are to bring good luck, protection, health and to increase magical powers. Often interchanged with amulet or charm.

wane: The act of decreasing, as in the waning moon phase after the full moon. In spell work, tapping into the waning energy of the moon when a decrease of something is desired—for instance, a spell for weight loss, or to lessen anxiety.

ward: To repel or hold off, such as a spell, talisman or energy force to ward bad luck or destructive energy/magic.

wax: The act of increasing, as the new to full moon phase. Beneficial for magical workings calling for increase.

widdershin: Also withershins. In the northern hemisphere, a counter clockwise direction, in the southern hemisphere a clockwise direction. Used for magical working calling for decrease, diminishing or reversal/return.

 

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