The Magickal Cottage

 It’s Midsummer’s Eve at the Magickal Cottage and I am planning my evening celebration. Even though it’s just me and the furrbabies, we will make an evening of it! As you might guess, I am a green witch and love to work with the plant kingdom and the fae whose energy supports all of nature. Aine, the Fairy Queen is my goddess of choice to honor at Midsummer…..and all through the year, for that matter. She is represented by Titania in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I don’t see her in exactly the same light as Shakespeare did. She seems more earthy and no-nonsense to me. She also seems smarter. Some say she was the Lady of the Lake of King Arthur’s story. I say she holds the plant kingdom together, and she makes a wonderful gardening companion!

At dusk I will be lighting a fire in the firepit. The solar energy ties into fire energy, and lighting a fire to celebrate this evening is traditional. The bonfires that are traditional in countries where it is instead St. John the Baptist Day at this time, are lit to ward off evil. Effigies of witches are burned in some countries. Imagine!

It’s funny, I have lived in this house for a little over a year. The hill in back of our yard gave off some “different” energy from the moment we moved in. I wasn’t sure what to make of this energy. Was it the ground squirrels?? The dead tree?? I normally don’t get spooked much anymore, especially when I am out in nature. But it was hard to be out in the backyard at night…until recently. I am hoping I have made peace with what elementals were watching me. I  planted loads of fairy flowers this past year. I fed the birds and made compost.  I even made some fairy gardens in flower pots, with tiny furniture for them to sit on. They probably thought that was pretty hilarious! But, I was a pretty good caretaker, if I do say so. I’m hoping tonight they will be happy to be honored by my offerings. Since it’s still Mercury retrograde, I won’t be doing a lot of magickal workings this evening….just honoring and givings thanks. That’s fine. I hope to build a better relationship with the elementals this year and petition their help in my future magickal workings.

So, I’ll light the balefire at sundown and munch on some Lemon Lavender Scones:

And  I’ll sip on some summery sangria. Of course, I will share with the Fairy Queen and her court!

I wish you all a Blessed Midsummer!

Sarina

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As you can see from the photo, we are enjoying some sunny days in the magickal garden. Sonya is in one of her favorite spots near the catnip patch. The bees love the blossoms so much, I haven’t the heart to cut the plant back!

The first tomato has started to turn red, and soon I will be drowning in tomatoes….which is OK!! The beans are climbing up the bean poles and summer’s bounty is about to arrive! 

I’m sure you are aware that herbs have magickal properties, but did you know that foods do as well? According to Witchipedia (love that name! hahaha) http://www.witchipedia.com/herb:tomato:

Tomatoes are associated with Venus and with Aphrodite and Hera. This plant is feminine in nature.

The presence of a tomato help protect from negative influences. Putting one on the window sill will prevent evil from entering the house.

Eating the fruit inspires love and passion. It is a good addition to romantic dinners and also good to eat to inspire creativity.

A much anticipated summer treat, tomatoes are suitable offerings for first harvest festivals and are especially suitable for Native American deities.

Although the flavor is completely different, tomatoes can be used in place of apples in many magical spells. They can also be used in place of other members of the nightshade family.

Click on the tab at the top of this page to visit the magickal garden and see what else we are growing. I have listed the magickal properties for some of my herbs. 

Schatzi in the shade of the artichoke plant.

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Countering the Effects of Mercury Retrograde, 6/7- 7/2, 2014.

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Yes, it’s Mercury retrograde again, and the full moon just passed. Sometimes we get started on a downward spiral of thinking, “what else could go wrong?”…and then something does go wrong! I took it upon myself recently to find out all I could about countering the effects of the infamous Mercury Retrograde that hits us about 3 times a year. Honestly, sometimes people get to the point during these planetary events where they are afraid to step foot out the door!

I think that fear is our worst enemy in these cases. By the Law of Attraction we are probably doing more to bring about calamity in our lives than Mercury ever could. Mercury rules communication and movement in general, such as transportation. When a retrograde happens the influence of Mercury is lessened. Think of Mercury as being the one in control of these areas of life, and that ole’ Merc has gone on an extended coffee break. It’s like when the teacher steps out of the classroom for a minute. Some of the kids in the classroom will behave and some will not. So during a retrograde, some things will go pretty much ok or even great, and other things will “act up”. It’s unpredictable. Just rememeber, though, that  you are in charge of what your own energy and thoughts produce.

One very useful way to counter the effects of Mercury Retrograde is to raise your personal vibration to a higher level. Higher vibrations=attracting good things to your life; and lower vibrations=attracting the things you probably don’t want. My garden is an endless source of wonderful positive energy. I have been gardening for years, and I never realized what a gorgeous flower an artichoke could become! When I saw the beautiful flower, pictured above, the other day, my energy vibration shot way up! When I got some bad news about a family member, though, my energy plummeted. It pays to be aware of what your energy is doing. Sure, we can’t be Pollyannas and ignore all the problems of life, but we can monitor our energy and make sure to do plenty to keep our vibration as high as possible.

It might be best to avoid the evening news during these stressful times. Watch an old movie that is just heartwarming, and snuggle with your family and animal friends. “Life really IS good”. That should be our mantra during a retrograde. And remember….this, too, shall pass!

Blessings,

Sarina

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Not only is the full moon an excellent time to charge crystals (and yourself!) in the moonlight, it is also a great time to perform a burning bowl ceremony! This is a time to rid yourself of those things you are willing to give up once and for all. If you are truly motivated, then read on!

This month the full moon is exact on June 12 at 9:11 PM, PDT. It will be in the sign Sagitarrius. This is an excellent time to rid yourself of issues involving: Carelessness, self-righteousness, making assumptions, excesses, extravagance, bluntness, pain or disease of the hips, liver, sciatica

 Here’s what you do:

Supplies: pieces of paper, pencil, heat proof container to burn pieces of paper, matches, water (just in case!)

1.      Write down what you would like to get rid of on a small piece of paper. Sign and date    the paper.

2.       Read what you have written aloud.

Example:” I now rid myself of the habit of making too many assumptions.”

3.       Light the paper and place it in the heatproof container.

4.       Visualize your “problem” going up in smoke!

If you wish you may call upon Archangel Raguel, the sociable peacekeeper, to be present and assist you. I like the helpful energy that angels lend and they are NOT restricted to any religion. There are certain archangels that traditionally correspond to the four elements. You can also set the scene with the following elements:Fire (candles, firepits), colors- purple, pale blue and deep blue; herbs, oils, incense – bergamot, clove and rosemary:  Be creative! Have fun!

Blessings,

Sarina

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I love summer….now that I’m back in California. In Texas I didn’t love it so much. The humidity and insects could be oppressive in Texas, but the worst part of Texas summer was the fact that many of the flowers and veggies I planted in spring would curl up and die as soon as the hot summer weather arrived. 

At the Magickal Cottage here in Crow Hollow, summer is a time when Mother Gaia showers us with gifts of gorgeous flowers and delicious, nourishing fruits and veggies. Summer is the time of the fire element. Think of the energy and exuberance of fire! That is summer. 

The Summer Solstice will be coming up in about a week. I am working on a plan to celebrate this time with ritual around the fire pit and a celebration of the bounty and fun of summer. In the life cycle of the year, spring is the young child, summer is the teenager and young adult, autumn is the middle aged person, and winter the elderly.

I hope you can kick off your shoes, walk barefoot in the grass and enjoy this time of year like a teenager!  Savor the firey energy of summer and feel happy to be alive!

Blessings,

Sarina

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Lady Sarina’s Magickal Parlor.

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 So now that we are calm and cleansed from the last two posts, we can set up some protection with a magickal cup of tea. I am crazy about chai tea. The chai tea latte from Starbucks can get my motor running when my energy is dragging. I know, it’s probably the sugar combined with the caffeine that revs me up but every once in awhile I treat myself.  It just so happens that the cinnamon and cloves that are often found in chai tea carry a protection energy vibe. 

Many protective plants have spines and spikes that hint of their ability to protect. If you look at a whole clove you will notice that it has little spikes all over it. If you have ever tried pushing those little suckers into the peel of an orange to make one of those pomanders, you understand their ability to inflict pain from the way they hurt your finger tips!

It’s perfectly fine to go buy your favorite chai tea blend to use in this spell. If the tea doesn’t contain either cinnamon or cloves then you should add some to the tea as it brews. As before, assemble all your tea making supplies. If you feel like it, you can light a red or black candle and burn some cinnamon or copal incense. Ground and center yourself. Smell that yummy spicey tea as the aroma drifts up from the cup you have poured. Take one sip  and saver it a moment. Then repeat the following words:

As I sip this spicy brew,

I know I have protection true!

Cinnamon and cloves lend your power

to serve me in this magickal hour!

Negativity flees from here;

I ‘m safe and secure with nothing to fear!

And so by the power of three times three,

As I will it, so shall it be!

Know that you are safe and protected…… and enjoy the rest of your tea!

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Have you ever been in a place or with a certain person and later felt you were low on energy, achy or even not “clean” in some way? The next time you are feeling “off,” stop and think about where you have been or who you may have been with. Maybe you need a good cleansing. Cleansing magick can be useful in many ways. Not only can you use it to restore your energy, it can be used before a ritual so that the circle energy doesn’t contain any “hitchhikers” who may have hitched a ride on you!

Now, we don’t need to go being paranoid about all this and go OCD on the cleansing. But cleaning does have its place. So many times I have had people ask me to remove a hex or curse from them. They are convinced that someone is out to get them. So I go along with it and ask them to do a good cleansing. First I tell them to clean their home from top to bottom, organize, and throw things away that they will never use again. Right there is where I generally lose them! That is not what they wanted to hear. They wanted me to light some candles and say some words and “fix” things. I would be willing to bet that most people who are feeling hexed have something going on in their environment. I’m not saying hexes or curses don’t exist, but it is more common to have stagnant energy in your home that is messing with your mojo. If you want to add more oomph to your energy, then a good cleansing will set you up for success.

So let’s get to brewing some magickal cleansing tea! There are many herbs used for cleansing, but remember we need something that can be ingested. It would also be nice if the herbs were to make a pleasant tasting tea. I know Love Potion #9 tasted like turpentine, but there is no reason why your tea can’t taste great. There are many lists online and in books of magickal herbs and their properties. I am going to let you research all the possible herbs you might use to make a magicklly cleansing tea. Be creative and come up with your own formulas. I will, however, share my cleansing tea recipe and the spell to go with it.

Lemon and Lavender Magickal Cleansing Tea

Lemon and lavender have long been considered to be very purifying and cleansing. Lavender’s latin root word is the same as the Spanish word, “lavar” which means “to wash”. Consider also, all the cleaning products that have that “lemon fresh scent”. Fortunately, both lemon and lavender can be eaten.
Supplies:
Tea Making supplies from the post in part 1
5 ~ 4-5”sprigs of lavender
1 sliced lemon
After preparing the teapot, add the lemon slices and lavender sprigs. Cover them with boiling water. Allow the tea to brew for about 3-5 minutes. Say the following three times as you focus on the teapot:

Lemon and lavender, cleansing brew
Create a potion to make me clean as new!
Take away the negative, cast it to the Light
Bring about a sense that all is right!
So say I, and it turn out well,
This teapot energy will work my cleansing spell!

Now, pour your tea and smell that lovely lemon lavender aroma. How clean and fresh it smells! Picture that energy permeating your energy field to wash all the negativity away. Take a sip and cleanse away! If you wish to send cleansing to another person, picture them shrunk down and see them standing in your cupped hands. Inhale the cleansing and blow it on the “mini person” in your hands. Know they have been cleansed. Sit back and enjoy the rest of your tea.

Do you have a friend that has been going through some drama? Invite them over for a cleansing tea party. It is best to let them know the purpose of what you are about to do. People do have free will, after all.

You can use this same brew in cleaning your home. Wipe down the counters and use it to mop floors. Don’t forget to recycle the lavender and lemon to your garden or compost heap.

So there you have it! My Lemon Lavender Cleansing Teapot Spell!

Next time: Part 3 ~ Teapot Magick for Protection

Blessings,
Lady Sarina

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