Spring Cleaning

I don’t think I have ever been more happy to see Spring than I am this year. While Winter hasn’t been the worst I’ve lived through in Michigan, it has been extremely cold. Yes, we get cold, but this has been extreme for my area of Michigan. We were seeing -30° wind chills and having multiple days in a row where you were in danger of frostbite if you stayed out longer than 10-15 minutes. Yuck!

The temperatures are up in the 30’s-40’s now with a few extremes in either direction, but mostly staying above freezing and all the snow in my yard is completely gone! I’ve been opening the windows on the warmest days and airing out the house. The cats love it.

There is a special energy unique to Spring and that is what has charged the ‘open the windows, but keep the heat on’ fever in this house. Now is the time to wake up, refreshed and charged and ready to take on… well, everything! Part of that energy is Spring cleaning. By cleaning our house, we are raising the vibrations of the energy around us. ‘Cleaning’ doesn’t just mean the physical removal of dirt and grime, though. It also means organizing, rearranging, and donating or throwing out things we no longer need. This article talks about ways to raise the vibration of your home.

This time of year is also perfect for cleansing your home of negative energy, another good way to raise the vibration of your home. Here is an article I wrote about a stealthy way to cleanse your home/room if you need to hide things like that.

If you’re out of the broom closet, live alone, or don’t mind people seeing you cleansing your home, another good and simple way is to smudge with sage or incense. Sage, dragon’s blood, lavender, and vervain are all excellent for dispelling negative energy and have protective effects. Frankincense and myrrh are both good for raising spiritual vibrations.

Now, go out there and:

From Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

 

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New Year’s Wishes

If you have some plans, wishes, or resolutions for the upcoming new year, here are a few things that could help you along the way.

Wishing Powder

1 part Sandalwood

1 part Tonka bean

2 parts Sage

In a private place (preferably outside), hold the powder in your projective hand and visualize your wish as clearly as possible. Focus on it, see it realized. Once you feel that your energies of intent have filled the powder in your hand, throw it as far from you as you can. The energies will be released into the earth and will work for your intentions.

Herbs to Aid in Wish Manifestation

Beech

Dandelion

Dogwood

Violet

Ginseng

Tonka

Pomegranate

Hazel

Walnut

Sandalwood

Buckthorn

Sage

Bamboo

Sunflower

Gemstones

Any quartz would be good here. Check out my quartz guide for ideas on specific quartz crystals to use.

 

Gather whatever of these supplies you have available to you along with a candle (any color/scent you see fit) and use them in their appropriate manner (stones around the candle, herbs in a censer, etc.) with this ritual:

Light the candle and say,

“To the old year I bid a grateful farewell. To the new year I bid a hopeful welcome.”

Take a moment now to envision the wishes/hopes/resolutions you have for the upcoming year. This would also be a good time to use the other materials you may have for this, i.e. the wishing powder, incense, or any of the herbs mentioned above. Focus and see your intentions for the new year clearly and let your visions be filled with energy. When you feel ready, continue.

“These are my wishes for the year 2015 (change year accordingly, of course). I send them out to be fulfilled. May this new year bring (change these, and any other words of this ritual as you see fit, but here are some examples) peace, happiness, and prosperity to all.”

Release your wish energies, confident that they will be fulfilled. You may now let the candle burn down completely of its own accord (be mindful of setting fires) or you may snuff it out and light it every day throughout the coming year until it is burned down. Either way, as the candle burns, the energies of your intentions will be released and will work throughout the entire year.

This is a nice ritual to do with other family members or alone. It can also be done before or during any party you may be throwing. Again, make sure the burning candle is safe.

I very specifically stuck to magical items that work for ‘wish fulfillment’ because I believe that those are good for all types of wishes, be it for good health, weight loss, or prosperity. You can then add additional magical items that focus your ritual further, like basil or clove for wealth, rosemary or peppermint for healing, apple or dragon’s blood to attract love. Again, the various quartzes would do nicely in this, as well.

Whatever your wishes and whatever your plans, I wish all of you a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year!

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Magical Herbs: Lotus

The lotus, Nelumbo nucifera and other related species, has long been a sacred flower to Hindus, Buddhists, and Egyptian religions. Since it grows in the mud, but rises above that, it is symbolic of divine birth, creation itself, purity, and spiritual growth and potential. It also represents cosmic harmony and enlightenment.

The mantra ‘Om mani padme hum’ can be translated as ‘Oh jewel in the lotus flower’ and means ‘I am in you and you are in me.’ It describes the unity of all beings.

Meditate on the image of the lotus, perhaps even repeat the mantra above, to help you feel your oneness with the universe and to help you on your path to spiritual enlightenment.

 

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Blessed Earth Day!

I hope everyone has the time to celebrate Earth Day today, even if only for a few minutes! Don’t know what to do, but want to celebrate? Grab some dishwashing gloves and head out to your favorite park with a trash bag or two and clean up! Work in your own garden or help someone you know work in theirs!

Not that mobile? Sit in your yard or a nearby park and just breathe the air, listen to the birds, and let your energy mingle with the trees around you.

Stuck inside today? Make a list of the things you’d like to get accomplished in your garden to help you keep track. Look at images of forests, gardens, trees, flowers, bumblebees (this one is a video), and so on.

Whatever you do today, may your Earth Day be blessed!

 

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Magical Herbs: Rosemary

In keeping with the Simon and Garfunkel theme for my magical herbs posts, we come to rosemary. Check out parsley and sage.

 

 

Rosemary’s scientific name is Rosemarinus officinalis. Common names associated with rosemary are Dew of the Sea, Compass Weed, Guardrobe, Sea Dew, Incensier, Libanotis, Polar Plant, and Elf Leaf.

Its gender is masculine and it is ruled by the sun. Fire is the element associated with it.

Its magical powers are protection, enhancing mental powers, love, lust, purification/exorcism, aiding in sleep, youthfulness, and healing.

Burning or smudging rosemary is used to purify and cleanse a place of negativity and is particularly useful before working magic.

Place rosemary under your pillow to guard against nightmares and to promote a good night’s sleep. Place it under the bed itself to protect the sleeper from all harm.

Hang it from the porch or doorposts to protect against thieves.

Carry it for health and to aid the memory. Bathe with it to purify and to preserve youth.

Burn it to promote love or lust.

Use an infusion of it to wash your hands before healing work.

Because of its powerful cleansing and purifying vibrations, rosemary can be used as a substitute for frankincense.

 

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Magical Herbs: Sage

In continuation from the previous Magical Herbs post (Parsley), we move now to Sage thanks to Simon and Garfunkel.

 

 

Sage is an extremely popular magical plant and you may find that you use it in ways that I don’t have listed here, as this is not meant to be all encompassing. Please share!

Its scientific name is Salvia officinalis, though I feel I must mention that this is the scientific name for only one species of sage plant. All sage plants will share the same magical properties.

Sage’s gender is masculine, it is ruled by Jupiter, and its element is Air.

It is used in immortality, wisdom, wish, longevity, and protection spells.

For protection, one can simply burn a bundle of sage, wafting the smoke around oneself or around a room or house, etc.

Carry it to encourage wisdom or again for protection.

For the most part, I use sage in protection/purification mixes. I must admit, I’m not particularly fond of the smell of it when it burns and I tend to lean towards other herbs that do the same things, like lavender or vervain.

What ways do you use sage in your magical workings?

 

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Magical Herbs: Parsley

So, since I’ve had this song stuck in my head for two weeks, I thought I’d explore the magical uses of parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Respecting the order of the herbs in the song, we’ll talk about parsley first.

 

 

Parsley has numerous folk names, percely, persil, rock parsley, and devil’s oatmeal, to name a few.

It is considered to be a masculine herb with Mercury and Air as its planetary and elemental affiliations, respectively.

Persephone is the deity associated with parsley.

Parsley is generally used in lust, purification, and protection spells or workings.

It can be carried or worn for protection. Placed on food, it is said to guard it from contamination.

For purification, it can be used in baths or burned along with other purification herbs.

Eating it is said to bring about fertility and lust.

 

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Magical Herbs: Figwort

 

 

Figwort is also known as Scrophularia nodosa and can usually be found in temperate areas growing in waste ground. So, it’s probably considered a weed. Distribution across North America can be seen here.

Figwort is also sometimes known as Throatwort, Carpenter’s Square, and Rosenoble.

It is considered to be feminine and ruled by Venus and Water.

Magic associated with Figwort is generally of the protective or good health kind.

If you hang it from your neck, it is said to protect you from the evil eye and to keep you healthy.

Hang it in the house to protect your home.

 

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Magical Herbs: Clove

 

 

At this time of year, the clove gets used a lot in cooking. Like many, many other herbs in your spice cupboard, clove has magical properties as well as culinary.

The clove is also known as Syzygium aromaticum and the part of the plant that we utilize is actually a dried flower bud.

 

 

Clove’s magical powers involve love, protection, exorcism, and money.

Burning clove as an incense will drive away negative/hostile forces and purify an area as well as attract wealth, stop people from gossiping about you, and raise spiritual vibrations.

Carrying or wearing cloves (i.e. clove oil) will attract the opposite sex and can comfort the grieving.

Have you ever used clove in magical workings?

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Shameless Facebook Plug!

 

Good morning, everyone! I just wanted to say thank you to everyone following this blog and liking posts. It’s awesome to know that not only are people reading what I’m writing, but you’re actually enjoying it, too! If you have a facebook account, please stop on over and like my facebook page! Occasionally I do post things there that don’t get posted over here. Also, I promise my facebook page won’t spam you. I don’t usually post multiple posts in one day.

Have a blessed Sunday!

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