Have a Blessed Lughnasadh

It is August 1st and our first Harvest Celebration!

Lammas or Lughnasadh is an important festival. The Celts and Anglo-Saxons celebrated this das as the wheat harvest. The name comes from the Anglo-Saxon ‘hlafmaesse’ meaning ‘loaf mass’. This is the celebration of the first harvest or the festival of first fruits.

This celebration is where we have our first breads from the wheat harvest, which includes the honey mead and fruit beers, and wine from the fruit harvest.

The Celtic God Lugh is the God of the Harvest. He is the God of Justice, Oaths, Victory and Harvest.

Lughnasadh is the Celebration of the God Lugh's victory over the spirits of Tír na nÓg. To celebrate his victory, Lugh blessed the early fruits of harvest; wheat, grains, and fruits. Thus the birth of the Pagan Celebration.

How will you be celebrating Lughnasadh or Lammas?

Juniper

Working with Juniper is one of my favorites. You can use the berries and the branches. Juniper is a conifer with amazing berries.

Juniper berries can be dried and used in pagan prayer beads. We can use the berries is many different types of spells. I like to use them in candles. The juniper berries are also used in culinary arts.

The pines and branches make great bundles to burn to cleans yourself and your home. You can keep the berries on or remove them.

Using the Juniper tree and berries they are useful in warding away negativity and cleansing. You can use Juniper to connect to the spirit realm to gain guidance from your ancestors and spirit guide team.

I like to use all parts of the Juniper in incense, candles, mojo/charm bags, spells and more. I do like to burn juniper while meditating. it has an amazing smell and is calming.

Do you like Juniper? How do you use Juniper in your magick?

Thulite

I was very drawn to this crystal. When we are drawn to certain crystals they are calling to us as the crystal will see that they can work with us to heal or elevate our lives.

Thulite is named after the mythical land of Thule. It was initially discovered in 1820 in Telemark, Norway.

Thulite has pinkish to reddish hues. It is a variety of Zoisite. This beautiful crystal can be found in many places around the world. Norway is the country that is most associated with Thulite.

For crystal healing, Thulite is a stone of self love, rebirth, regeneration and healing. Working with Thulite will open us up to loving ourselves and others. This crystals helps form lasting bonds and relationships.

This is a stone that can be used to eliminate low self esteem and combat self-sabotage. It will break the bonds that hold us back from being our best selves. Thulite brings out the best within us and lets us shine.

This is a great crystal to use for healing mental and emotional issues. It will increase positivity within yourself and to those around you.

Enjoy the July Crystal!

Sometimes We Need to Banish Things that No Longer Serve Us

Do you ever have a bad habit, unwanted energy, unwanted emotions (anger, sadness, ect), or even an unwanted person? Most of us have had something like this in our lives and using our magick can help remove anything unwanted in our lives. Our first line of defense is a banishing spell.

Banishing is just that, removing the obstacle whether it is a person or unwanted emotion, or energy that is negatively effecting our lives. As a witch we have the power to shift energy and create the life that we want and remove anything that we don't want or that no longer serves us. This is a form of healing magick to banish unwanted energies and to clear our body, mind, and spirt.

Occasionally some of us may suffer from anxiety, feel anger, sadness, and frustration. We can also feel guilt, shame, and may feel like we have a run of bad luck. We can remove this from our lives very easily.

It is a matter of setting the intention to bring us relief from the bad luck or any of the emotions, and feelings that are holding us back and causing blockages. We set the intention to remove or banish these things from our lives. We can do banishing spells or a banishing ritual.

I have personally found that doing a banishing ritual with a spell has been a huge help in removing unwanted energies and pain from myself.

The first step is to choose what needs to be removed. Pick your spell or ritual. Set your intention and watch your spell manifest. My top favorite ways to remove any unwanted and unnecessary thing in my life has been by: candle spells, burning it away, or a ritual bath.

Occasionally, we may have a person in our life that we may need to banish. If it is a friend or associate in our social life it is a lot easier. What if the person causing you strife is a co-worker or a supervisor. That is a little harder, not impossible. when I have needed to banish someone I will use a candle spell, burn it away, mirror banishment, or a freezer spells. Freezer spells work great you are in a situation that it is a co-worker or a supervisor you can freeze the unwanted behavior.

Banishing spells and rituals are a way to remove unnecessary stress and tension from our lives. This is a less harmful way to get rid of the unwanted energy, vibration, stress, or person.

Dandelions

Dandelion

Do you like butter?  

As a child, with my friends, we would gather Dandelions. Ask each other if we liked butter and then proceed to rub a dandelion on your friend's forearm. The petals of the dandelion would leave a yellow line on your arm.

Dandelions in some folklore and myths are associated with some amazing Goddesses.  The Goddess Aphrodite has a connection with bees and is associated with Dandelions.  The Goddess Hecate has an association with Dandelions due to being the Goddess of the underworld and dandelions are associated with the underworld.

The amazing thing about Dandelions is that they can grow anywhere. I have seen dandelions pop through a small crack in asphalt and grow. The roots of the dandelion spread out in the soil and get up to an inch thick in diameter. Dandelion roots aerate the ground making it possible for other plants and grasses to grow.

Dandelions are one of the first plants of spring. They grow from Spring to Autumn. 

They also transform from yellow to the miracle white seeds that can gently float in the air. The seeds that you can make a wish on.

Dandelions are great to use in your magical practice. They work as a great substitute for Mandrake. As the Dandelion roots are similar to mandrake roots.

Harvest and dry dandelions this year. They are a great addition to botanical collections and can be used in many different spells.

Clear Quartz

Clear Quartz

Clear Quartz is one of the Master Crystals. It is a staple crystal for any healer, witch, pagan and collector. This is a crystal that is a must have for all gem and crystal enthusiasts. 

Quartz makes up 10% of the earth’s crust and is considered a common crystal. The power and energy in clear quartz is strong and unique. Clear Quartz is highly vibrational and can amplify other crystals and their energy.

Judy Hall said, “Place Quartz wherever healing is needed. It restores your whole being to energetic harmony and wholeness.”

When you have a Clear Quartz from Tibet or the Preseli Mountains, the healing energy is amplified and stronger.

Clear Quartz is the most versatile crystal on earth. This is the only crystal that is 100% programmable for any intention. It can amplify all other crystals, rocks, and stones. Clear Quartz is a crystal that can enhance your spiritual awareness.

Clear Quartz is one of the crystals I use in my water bottle which has one compartment for crystals and one compartment for water (please watch my youtube video on safety with crystals at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z67m9tSI8o&t=81s)

Every Tarot, Lenormand and Oracle deck I own has a clear quartz in the box or bag. Clear Quartz keeps the decks cleansed and charged for using. You can add clear quartz to your Runes, Ogham, dowsing rods, and other tools.

Make sure to cleanse the quartz crystals in the full moon, with moon water, smoke (incense or herb bundles), with Reiki and even meditations.

The Tradition of Bayberry Candles

Many traditions are also witchy in nature. One big one that most people practice, without knowing, is making a wish and blowing our your candles on your birthday.

Every year around Yule and New Year's I carry out an old tradition that has been around for centuries. Lighting a Bayberry Candle to bring closer bonds, wealth and health.

When the first European settlers arrived on the American continent supplies were scarce.  One supply that was desperately needed was candles. Candles brought light in the dark. They were used daily as electricity was not invented yet.

Settlers used animal fat which is called tallow to make candles.  It was typically for a family to need 300-400 candles a year. Tallow candles had a foul odor. 

It was discovered that the Bayberry Shrub found on the Atlantic coast, has fruit like berries. The berries produce a greenish white colored waxlike substance. When crafted into candles it was discovered that they  lasted longer than the tallow candles. Bayberry candles have a woodsy odor which was much more pleasant.

The Bayberry candles were only used during the darkest time of the year. Bayberry candles are more rare and thus were not burned year round. It took nine pounds of bayberries to create one pound of bayberry wax.

Another challenge with the bayberry wax is that is is brittle. It makes it highly challenging to keep its shape. Thus beeswax is added.

A tradition came during the darkest time of the year on Yule Eve, Christmas Eve, and New Years Eve the bayberry candle would be burned to bring prosperity and abundance in the home.

A candle would be lit and family would say:

Bayberry Candle burn to the socket, Bring health to the home, and money to the pocket.

A Big Welcome to David Wade

My amazing friend and artist David Wade will have his hand crafted Trolls and Spirit Dolls available here at Triple Goddess Apothecary and Reiki. David is able to make custom Spirit and Troll Dolls for anyone. He works hard to ensure the your Spirit and essence are in your spirit Doll. In addition to these amazing dolls, David handcrafts jewelry, Fairy homes, Fairy doors and more.

Working with these amazing spirit and Troll dolls will boost your magic. David works to ensure that each hand craft Troll and Spirit doll has positive energy and if you order a custom doll that the energy and essence you want is in your doll.

Be watching for these amazing items to pop into Triple Goddess Apothecary & Reiki.

Successful Candle Magic

 I am constantly asked about candle magic.  The biggest thing I am asked is typically about how the candle melted or lack of melting.

Most recently a client, did a jar spell and indicated that "The candle didn't melt well, it wasn't nearly as drippy ".  This particular client then left their cast circle to search for a candle to make the candle "drippy" and "melt well". Will this spell work for this client?  No.  This is because they had high expectations for the way they wanted the candle wax to "look" and to "melt". They wanted the candle wax to be "drippy".  

I have had clients play with their wax because the candle was melting asymmetrically and they wanted it to melt symmetrically. There are also the spells that the candle melted too fast or two slow.

In one situation, the client sent me a picture but had chipped away at the "unwanted" wax melts. They said that the spell didn't work in addition they wanted to know if I could read the wax from the candle. When you "play" or "chip away" at the wax, you can't read the wax as a divination tool because you altered the outcome.

How to have a successful Candle Magic Spell:

1. Don't hold expectations for the how the wax is going to melt. The candle is going to work how it is supposed to work.  If you want it to melt "drippy", "Symmetrical", and look like someone else's spell you have already set your spell up for failure. You are more concerned with the aesthetics  of the spell than the actual outcome and manifesting your intention.

2. Don't "play" or "chip away" at the wax.  When you cast your candle magic you can also use the resulting melted wax as a divination tool.  In addition, if you play with the wax or change how the candle is melting or trying to make it aesthetically pleasing you just destroyed your spell.  The spell, the time you put into the spell was all for naught.

3. In any spell casting, not just candle magic, hold your intention.  Be positive. Don't worry about how beautiful your spell looks. Hold positivity about the outcome. See the intention manifesting and coming to life.

4. If your candle burns clean your spell was immediately successful. If your candle is “drippy” read the wax as divination.

If you want to play with candle wax or explore the physics of how candles melt than light candles for fun and play with the wax. When you interfere with candle magic you will ruin your spell and the spell intention will not manifest.  You will have to recast your spell.