Bread Of The Dead
The Pagan Book of Halloween A Complete Guide
by Gerina Dunwich
2 envelopes yeast
1/2 cup lukewarm water
2 beaten eggs, divided
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 beaten egg
Makes one skull and crossbones loaf
Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water. Stir in two beaten eggs,
butter and orange zest. In a seperate bowl, sift together flour,
sugar, and salt, and add to the yeast mixture, stirringin a
clockwise direction. Turn the dough out onto a flour covered board
and knead with your hands for about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a
large bowl or pot, cover, and allow it to rise for about one hour.
Punch down the risen dough. Cut off 1/3 of the dough and set aside.
On a large, well greased cookie sheet, form the remaining dough into
the shape of a skull. With a sharp knife, carefully carve out eyes,
nose, and mouth. Use the reserved dough to form crossbones.
Let the dough rise for another hour, and then bake for 30 minutes in
a 350 degree oven. Remove from oven and use some of the last beaten
egg to 'glue' the crossbones to the skull. Brush the entire loaf
with the rest of the egg, sprinkle with sugar, and then return it to
the oven. Bake for an additional 10 to 20 minutes or until the color
of the loaf is golden and it gives off a hollow sound when tapped.
Set it on a wire rack to cool.
A Samhain Spell To Let Go
Source Unknown
October is a good time to tidy up the soul. First, make a list/petition of
things that have got to go, such as resentment of friends or enemies, anger
at yourself (potent and common garbage). Just think through your life to see
what you no longer need. Go through your soul as if it were a long forgotten
attic and see where cleaning up is way overdue, then write down what you
find. I am not talking about resentments like those you feel if you're just
divorced; if you got ripped off, if you had to leave a job due to harassment
These oppressions are not your own doing, so please don't blame yourself
for them. Find groups with which to work them through and channel your anger
into your Craft or the earth, which can give your life more meaning.
Create an altar with black cloth, the color of the universe, the color of
chaos, where everything comes from and to which everything must return.
Place on the cloth some fallen leaves, representing the natural order of the
seasons and the discarded past. The fallen leaves are beautiful, but they
are meant to become compost. Place your list of psychic garbage on the table
light two black candles, one on either side, and some dispelling incense.
If you can't find incense specifically made for this purpose, use sandalwood
frankincense, myrrh, or cedar.
When you pray to the Goddess, always talk normally and say:
"Dearest Goddess, I have come a long way this year, carrying my burdens. I
would like to take them off my shoulders and give them back to you to
recycle, to bury, to compost. Here, I offer you my resentments against
friends, family, and [fill in your own needs here] and ask you to absorb
them into your black universe. Relieve me of them and allow me to walk more
lightly."
Burn your list in the flame of your candles. Now imagine all these feelings
evaporating into smoke, and say something like:
"I feel all light, happy and cleansed now. Dearest Goddess, you are my true
strength and guide. I thank you for being accessible and answering your
children's call. I honor you and thank you."
Gather all the things that were part of your meditation and cast them into a
living body of water. When you cast them off, don't look back. Even let go
your thoughts about the ritual.
Basic Binding Spell
This spell should be cast when someone is using negitive magick against you. Before rushing into this process, make sure that you know that you are being attacked magickally and by who. This should be checked through magick, divination, prayer and meditation. Once you are positive that a certain person is using negitive magick against you, begin the spell.
Materials Needed:
a.. Spool of black ribbon
b.. Poppet of the person you intend to bind
c.. Black pouch made of a tough material such as leather
d.. Black candle
e.. Chalice of water (rain or river water is best)
f.. Coal, granite or some other powerful stone associted with the element of earth
g.. Musk incense & Censer
Time: Waning moon, noon
Procedure:
Place the rock, water, incense, and candle around you to form the points of a square. (Rock being diagonal to incense and water being diagonal to candle). Now sit under the stars and meditate on the impact that this persons negitive magick has had on your life. Once you have all of the negitive recourse in your mind, hold the poppet in you receptive (left) hand, and slowy, starting at the feet, wrap the poppet in black ribbon, as if it were a mummy.Be sure to leave no spot exposed. As you wrap, chat the following or similar:
"With (name's) own evil does s/he her/himself bind,
his/her magick powers s/he shall not find!"
As you chant and wrap, visualize all the negitivity from the magick that this person has cast flowing into the ribbon that binds the poppet.
Once the poppet is totally wraped, place it in the pouch and draw it shut. Now proclaim in a loud voice:
"(name) has been bound in the pressence of the elements and the gods. May s/he remain as such untill this poppet again sees the light of day. So mote it be!"
Store the pouch with the bound poppet in a dark place. When you decide to un-bind it, take the pouch into the noon sun of the waxing moon and unwrap the poppet. Visualize the negitivity tied in the ribbon disinigrating in the light of the sun. Say the following or similar:
"(name) is now unbound; a creature of free will in magick and in heart. Blessed be!"
Notes: Please realize that bindings do not always work! It may take multiple attemps at binding a person before it actually takes. For this reason, you should NEVER let the subject of your binding spell know what you plan to do or have done. Since they obviously have already dabbled in negitive magick, the recourse could be literally disasterous.
BOOK OF SHADOWS BLESSING
Listen as the Witch's word,
Calls the All, a gulf to ford.
Bridge the vast realities,
An it harm none, do as ye please.
Elements watch and guard this book,
From wandering eyes and prying look.
In this right and ready hour,
Fill it with thine ancient power.
Powers of North! Earth below,
Show us to live, to learn, and grow.
Lend us your strength and stability,
To practice with love and set ourselves free.
Powers of East! Wind and the Sky,
Watch o'er these pages with thine eye.
Your wisdom and knowledge, for these do we ask,
That this book be worthy - the Craft and it's task.
Powers of South! Fire and the Hearth
Help these Shadows to prove their worth.
Infuse and uplift with your healing and passion,
So only good comes from the Works that are fashioned.
Powers of West! Waters and Sea,
Transformation and growth are granted by thee.
Bless herein pages with all that you know,
That all righteous readers may learn and may grow.
In winter, in spring, in summer and fall,
In our Shadows we ask for the aid of the All.
To practice the Craft of the wise as we must,
With truth, perfect peace, perfect love, perfect trust.
We ask for the blessings of Lady and Lord
As we hold up Her chalice and brandish His sword.
All that we know is infused with their power,
From sun and from moon, from rock and from flower.
Guard us Earth Mother and teach us your lore,
From silvery moon to the earth's inner core.
When working our magick, please help us not fear it,
We know you will guide us and strengthen our spirit.
Grant us Sky Father your wisdom and strength,
To complete all our Workings, to go the full length.
You smile down upon us, the light of the sun,
Rejoicing in life, with you we are one.
Guardians from the four directions,
Lady and Lord, it's your protections,
And your love for which we look,
To inspire and lead as we write this book.
Yet to the unschooled eye let see,
Confusing words and sophistry.
Lead them from these sacred pages,
On blessed ways throughout the ages.
Yet to the Witch, this book shall stay,
Plain and truthful, clear as day.
Direct and show, guide and teach,
their dreams and goals, please help them reach.
For free will of all
and harm to none
as I have willed it
It now is done
So mote it be!
Book Of Shadows
This page is just the beginning for multiple pages of information in this Book of Shadows.
I will be adding links as time goes by.
If you have anything you would like to add, please feel free to email me.
A Book of Shadows is basically a witch's diary or journal, filled with occult information. There are outlines for Books of Shadows but I feel that since a Book of Shadows is a really personal thing that it should be in whatever order you want. It should also contain whatever information you want as well.
A Book of Shadows contains more than just occult information. It is also filled with any and all experiences that you have with magick. You may wish not to put this type of information in there and only put spells in it. That's fine but how are you going to know what magick that you have performed in the past and if it worked or not? In my first book, I only put spells in it and a few other things that I found on the internet. When you need to recall a spell, it is important to remember what herbs, candles, stc. worked best with the spell. So of course, you do not want to waste vauble time on trial and error instead of looking up exactly what would work best!
You want to value your Book of Shadows highly. Don't go around showing it to everyone saying something like: "hey look at my magick book!" or "I'm a witch, look, I can prove it," this only causes the book to loose the energy that you put into it every time you write in it or improve it. If you belong to a group of witches or a coven then it's fine to show it to them but usually a coven will have a coven Book of Shadows.
What you DO NOT want do is let people borrow it. Unfortunately people are usually not as responsible with your stuff as you would be.
It really doesn't matter what your Book of Shadows is contained in, as long as you are happy with it. I started with a 1 inch binder, I now have 6 binders. One of my Book of Shadows is in a 3-ring binder that is 6 inches. Another one is hand written and is in a 200 page hardcover. Whatever you put yours in just make sure it has a strong cover. It doesn't matter if it is handwritten or typed but either way you are still putting you energy into it. Some people even have a Book of Shadows stored on their computer.
You have to check out Spiral Publishing Inc., it now has The Ink Witch's BOS for sale. Sabrina has outdone herself by creating a Book Of Shadows that you create, with her wonderful artwork to accentuate your creations.
The link for this wonderful book can be found at the bottom of the links on this page.
Scott Cunningham
Ok considering that my own personal BOS is a nightmare of organization I thought maybe those that are just starting out might benefit from some tips on how to start your own Book of Shadows. I found this particular version in Scott Cunningham's book Living Wicca: A further guide for the solitary practitioner. I should follow this advice myself. Remember that a BOS is a highly personal creation and you should see this information as a guide only. I am using Scott's outline here and adding my own comments beside each chapter. Be creative! You can alter any of this to your personal liking.
1. Title Page: outside of the title this can bear your name in runes, or a pentagram. You can also place a Blessing here to inspire yourself.
2. Laws- Here is where you place your personal and religious code of conduct. It may seem silly to tell yourself Thou shalt not kill and such but you would be surprised at how writing a set of rules down will crystallize them in our hearts and minds.
3. Invocations of the Lord and Lady- Here is where you place chants and prayers you use to call the attention of your Gods. Blessings and such
4. An altar diagram- Use this to remind yourself about where everything goes when you're putting it back together after your youngest child "uses the force" and light sabers it. ( This being my personal disaster)
5. Circle Castings and Dispersing Instructions- Be as specific as possible. Try to find one method that is comfortable to you and stick to it.
6. Rituals- Sabbats, Full Moon , initiation rites, tool consecrations, Simple feast, New baby (Wiccaning), Grieving rituals. and so on.
7. The Tools of the Craft- What tools are specific to you? What are the rules that apply to them. Can someone touch your athame or not?
8. Magical Rites and information- herbal lore, Spells, Sabbat recipes, symbols and signs, rune alphabet (there are many out there I suggest you find one or two and stick with them otherwise you'll be trying to write something and feel like you're missing you're secret decoder ring), Here is where you put all of your general information. You can include some poetry, your notes on belief, notes on anything Wiccan. Be creative.
Scott Cunningham
Book of Shadows Basics - The Book
The Book of Shadows is one of the most important and also one of the most mysterious of Wiccan tools. Television and movies generally portray the Book as large leather bound volumes with parchment pages full of cryptic poems, calligraphy, elaborate drawings, and bits of herbs poking out from the pages. While many of us would love to have something that exotic and lovely, most Books of Shadows are a far cry from what you see on Charmed.
A witch's Book of Shadows is as individual as the one who keeps it. While it is possible to purchase beautiful leather-bound books, it is just as common to grab a $7.99 sketchbook off of the bargain table at your local bookstore. You can make your own Book of Shadows, or you can purchase one. (If you would like to look into binding your own book I have included links to a couple of great books at the bottom of this page.) I have even known of people who have taken inexpensive bound composition books and filled them to bursting with magical items and information.
Nowadays, it is even common to find folks who have a 3-ring binder of shadows or a disk of shadows. However, in my tradition, the Book of Shadows is a bound book which pages cannot be removed from, nor do we feel they should be. There will be mistakes and for some of us that is a great struggle to accept. But the Book is representative of who and where we are on our path, and of our growth. None of us are perfect, and the Book reflects that. My personal Book of Shadows has its share of mistakes. It shows where I was when I began it and how much I have grown since then. I am not perfect and I learn from my mistakes.
There is power in the pages that have been filled by hand. Things you have done or that you have learned are more readily committed to memory when you write them out rather than typing them. Some witches work on their Book only in the sacred space of a cast circle. Others will only use a dip pen and ink for their magical notation. And for some, the beautiful array of colorful gel pens make their pages come to life. You choose what feels best to you.
The biggest hurdle most people have to overcome is simply starting. The blank page can be so intimidating, especially with a book this important. My advice. Just start. Make a mark on the page, or glue a picture of a Goddess or God, find a poem that has meaning to you and just start. Once you have begun, and especially once that first mistake is made, you will find that it is much easier to continue.
Book of Shadows Basics - The Information
Now that you have your Book of Shadows it is time to decide what kind of information you want to keep in it. Bear in mind that the information that I share is from my own tradition and perspectives. There are many other styles of Wicca and others will do things differently.
The Book of Shadows is one of your most important tools. It is a place for you to keep track of the information that is important to your magical work. A Book of Shadows is not a journal. While it is appropriate to put notations on some of the pages to remember things that worked or didn't, thoughts and feelings are better kept separate. A journal kept specifically for reflecting on your experiences and feelings about magical workings is sometimes called a Book of Mirrors.
The Book of Shadows is more like a reference book for your personal path. Because it is personal, it is generally information that is only shared with people you trust completely and it is rare that the actual book will ever be loaned out. Often people keep their Books with the intention of passing them on to someone else at some point, this is one reason why you may not want your intimate thoughts included in it.
So what kinds of things should you include? Here is a general list of the type of information that you might want to include:
~ Ritual outlines and descriptions including intent of the ritual and possibly the moon phase, astrological notations
~ Magical workings & Spells including moon phase, astrological notations, etc.
~ Tables of Correspondences for the elements, herbs, stones, colors etc
~ Information on the Sabbats
~ Information on the 13 Moons, cycles of the moon, moon lore
~ Sacred texts such as the Charge of the Goddess, the Wiccan Rede
~ Magical Recipes for foods, incense, etc.
~ Information on Gods & Goddesses
~ Meditations
Now that you have some idea about what to include, the next big question most people ask is "How do I organize it?" Organization is the main reason some folks are so fond of the "disk of shadows" or 3 ring binders.
How you sort your information is really up to you. I know of some people who include an index in the back or a table of contents in the front. Others lightly mark the pages with a pencil to reserve them for specific information. In my personal Book of Shadows I opened to random page to determine where a specific section began. Again, keep in mind that your book will be individual to you and needs to be organized however you are comfortable.
No matter what you put into your Book of Shadows or how you organize it, you will find that it will become an important part of your magical practice.
Your Book of Shadows is your most important form of record keeping and a
reflection of your spiritual journey. It is an ever-evolving volume, or volumes, that will change and grow along side of the individual creating it. It becomes a record of all of your magickal workings, spells, and their results, as well as, any knowledge you have gleaned along the spiritual path you have chosen.
Since our tools are such personal extensions of ourselves I think it is difficult to tell someone what they "have to" do when building one. We create unique book by recording those sacred individual events and all those things that are holy to you. Ultimately your Book of Shadows is your reference manual on you spiritual path. There are guidelines that are generally followed by most people that I know and by myself. I have included them here and hope you find some measure of help from them. Be aware that if you feel something more or less should go into yours then you should be sure to follow that instinct. I will refer to the Book of Shadows as a BOS, henceforth, in this article.
My private BOS is actually 3 separate volumes kept in three ring binders. One binder is titled Potions and Recipes and contains things such as recipes for bath and toiletries, cakes and ale and crafting projects. The second section titled Spells contains ritual and spell work (wow! What a concept! J) and the third section titled Grimoire contains all the correspondences, information and lore that I have studied and used in my journey. You might use this method yourself and perhaps keep a separate journal in a blank bound book or in another binder.
There are those who like to use blank bound books for their BOS and they add
to them, as needed along with their journal entries. There are drawbacks to this option that should be considered. These drawbacks do not make the task impossibility. They just must be thought about, and measures taken, to see that they do not create any problems. One should number all the pages and create a table of contents in the beginning of the book and/or and index in the back of the book. Although, time consuming to begin with, this will save you countless hours of running through the book page by page when you need a particular correspondence, spell or ritual. I have seen books done with this method and the owner simply used the book from front to back and when the book was full they created an alphabetical index in the last several pages.They then used a new book to continue on.
To many people, keeping a BOS in their own hand is the only way that is acceptable. Actually there are some traditions that demand such. There are benefits to this method, one of which is that a person will absorb much of the information while doing the actual writing in their book. Something to consider if you decided on this method is that you will be filling the book with your own unique energies while writing. This will make a personal and tangible connection between you and your book.
I find nothing wrong with using one's computer, with its variety of fonts and graphics, to create a book that is not only beautiful but also unique and easy to read. There are those who wish to keep their books on disk in order that they may replace or rewrite sections with ease. I use a combination of these methods. I write my book with a computer program and keep it on disk, but I also print the hard copy whose information I keep in the different sections I explained earlier. I also cover each page with a sheet protector. This has saved me on many an occasion! Dripped wax, spilled wine, water and oils are all hazards around your beautifully created pages. The sheet protectors offer one resolution to these problems that will,
again, save you not only time copying or reprinting items that are ruined but also the paper you would normally have had to replace.
Many beautifully bound books are available for purchase. You may also wish to create your own unique volume. Fabric may be used to either cover or create a storage bag for your BOS. Silk, wool, linen or cotton are good choices if you prefer natural fibers (or your tradition requires it), or velvet or satin are nice if you like other "posh" fabrics. If you wish to put herbs in the cover of your book, you might do so by wrapping or gluing the outer cover in fabric and sandwiching the herbs between the book cover and the fabric. You might also decide to prepare a fabric bag in which to store your book and any herbs you may choose can be put into the bottom of the bag. You might decide to sew the herbs into the walls of the bag if you are creating a lined bag-the only drawback with this method is that you will
have to take the entire bag apart to refresh your herbs. A good solution to this is to place a small pillow of herbs that is easily replace in the bag.
Things to include in your BOS are listed below. If you can think of anything that I have missed please e-mail me with your suggestions and I will be glad to include them here.
A dedication
A protection spell for the book
A blessing
Table of Contents
Glossary of terms
Traditions in Wicca
Magickal Ethics-Wiccan Rede, Laws of Return, etc.
Beliefs & Doctrine
Paranormal studies
Herbalism
Recipes for:
Ritual and holiday foods
Bath Salts
Oils
Incense
Meade and other drink
Correspondences for:
Amulets
Planetary hours
Color magick
Crystal, gemstones and minerals
Elements
Herbs, Plants and Trees
Wheel of the Year
Moon Phases
Chakras
Animal Totems
Oils
Incenses
Days of the week
Planets
Months of the Year
Dream interpretation
Magickal Symbolism and Alphabets
Crafts
Listing of Books and Sacred Texts
Divination studies :
Dowsing
Egg
Smoke, Flame, Fire
Astrology
Runes
Scrying
Pendulum
Phallomancy
Palmistry
Tarot
Tealeaves
Numerology
I-ching
Face Reading
Pedomancy
Gastromancy
Kumalak
Playing Cards
Ouiji
Tyromancy
Phyllorhodomancy
Onychomancy
Omphalomancy
Uromancy
Medicine Cards
Shamanism
Wheel of the Year-traditions
Rituals & Spells-actual rituals and spells along with outcomes for those performed
Circle Casting
Cleansing and Consecration
Blessings
Quarter calls
Meditations
Prayers
Candle magick
Ritual Construction
Rites of Passage
Invocations
Music/Chants
Crystal Healing
Reiki
Aura Studies
Tools
Web-weaving-a list of contacts and web addresses
Dragon Lore
Fairy Lore
Humor
Index
Book of Mirrors Journal Prompts
A Book of Mirrors can sometimes be more intimidating to begin than a Book of Shadows. While a Book of Shadows holds the details of your magical practice, the Book of Mirrors takes in your feelings about those activities and other things that affect your practice. For this reason many Wiccans don't keep a Book of Mirrors, or they may wait until they are ready for the challenge that comes with examining the Spirit.
Here are ten questions and ideas to consider in your Book of Mirrors. I hope they will help you think through the why's behind the things you do.
Reflect on how you came to be on this path.
How do you know when you are in the presence of/connected to Deity?
Reflect on how keeping a Book of Mirrors might affect your spiritual practice.
How do you decide when Magic is an appropriate course of action?
Reflect on your practice and how it relates to your everyday life.
Do you have a preferred method of Divination? Why is that your preference?
What God/Goddess or pantheon of deities do you identify most with? Why?
What God/Goddess or pantheon of deities do you have trouble relating to? Why?
Lammas is approaching. Reflect on the concept of sacrifice.
Reflect on a magical working you have done; the outcome, intention, method, or things that surprised you.
I hope that these questions will help you to deepen your magical practice and strengthen your connection to your Spirit.
Tea Leaf Reading
Tea leaf reading or teomancy ( reading of coffee grounds is called cafeomancey) has been around for centuries, when reading tea leaves you are meant to go beyond the symbol in the cup it is necessary delve more deeply into your psyche, tea leaf reading can help you to tune into, and expand your intuition and your psychic ability, although anyone can learn the art of tea leaf reading without having psychic ability, just by learning the symbols and committing them to memory. The interpretation of the symbols is the seekers quest to understand themselves, the simple act of sitting down, making a pot of tea, drinking the tea and then focusing on the symbols is meditative.
Once you have familiarized yourself with all the symbols you will find it quite straightforward to conduct a reading, as your psychic ability is enhanced by the concentration required to conduct a reading, you will be able to find a deeper meaning within each symbol. Anyone can become proficient by following the simple rules associated with this time honored practice embraced by many, the world over. If the seeker is a coffee drinker it is best to use Turkish coffee as the coffee grinds sit firmly in the bottom of the cup, to read the coffee grinds the seeker drinks the coffee then places the saucer over the cup and turn it upside down just as with a cup of tea.
Within the bottom of the cup of tea or coffee many things can be seen, objects, people, animals, babies, children, the closer the symbol to the top of the cup the sooner the event is to take place, the more defined the symbol the stronger the impact on the person's life. There is positive or negative in all symbols depending on the placement and what type of symbol it is. This will be revealed by the reader, the more negative connotations are not there to frighten you they are there to make you aware and to possibly change your behavior to avoid certain things that may have taken place.
To begin you have the seeker and the reader who sit at a table close together, the pot of tea is made and the teapot is placed in front of the seeker, the seeker is then asked to turn the teapot once to the right and twice to the left and then to pour the tea and stir the cup, the reader will first look at any symbols floating on the top of a full cup of tea or coffee, a visitor is depicted if a leaf is floating on top of the tea, a sturdy looking leaf denotes a man, a softer leaf denotes that the visitor is a woman. The seeker then drinks the tea and leaves a small amount in the bottom of the cup, the seeker is asked to hold the cup and to concentrate on their desires for the future and the reader then begins. Some readers only see weeks or months and others are able to see years it all depends on the ability of the reader.
The clarity of the image is taken into consideration, if something is barely discernable it means it will soon be of no particular significance. Timing of events to come is gauged by the distant future in the bottom of the cup, the side of the cup events are closer and the nearer the symbols are to the handle the closer the depicted events.
To begin place yourself in a comfortable place and enjoy your cup of tea in a relaxed atmosphere allowing your mind to clear. After the reading has been completed throw the used tea leaves outside into the garden or into a pot plan, this is said to be for protection. You are now ready to begin your reading.
Anchor shape meaning - If near the top of the cup balance in your life is represented, if in the bottom of your cup you are meant to put more emphasis on something in your life you are not completing.
Symbols
Acorn meaning - If in the bottom of the cup you can be assured of good health, and if at the top of your cup there is financial abundance for you.
Airplane meaning - When you see the shape of a plane in a tea cup it denotes a journey or depending on the rest of the symbols in your reading it can be pointing to an advancement in your career.
Apple meaning - There is much ahead for you to achieve, keep your eyes on your goal and don't give up.
Axe meaning - There will be obstacle and challenges ahead if at the bottom of the cup, if at the top of the cup you may have or are about to, overcome any difficulties.
Bell meaning - If near the top of the cup the news will be auspicious, if near the bottom the news will be entirely unexpected.
Butterfly meaning - There is some oscillating taking place in your life, either by you or by someone close to you.
Birds meaning - This is a depiction of very good news coming your way.
Ball meaning - Be careful of your finances don't let hard earned capital drain away due to carelessness.
Baby meaning - Pay attention to a worry or concern that you have been putting off attending to.
Boat meaning - There is an invisible force field of protection around you, also a friend will soon be visiting.
Bush meaning - There are new opportunities opening up for you and new friends to be made from this.
Book meaning - If open there is very good news for you. If closed something is yet to be revealed and you may need to do some probing to find out what it is.
Chair meaning - There will be a welcome guest in your home.
Candle meaning - Help will be coming to you in an unexpected manner.
Circle meaning - Completion of something, with dots you will be hearing of a pregnancy or be planning a pregnancy.
Coin meaning - Cash will be flowing in.
Cigar meaning - There will be someone new in your circle of friends that you will get on well with.
Cap meaning - Watch what you say, words once uttered cannot be taken back.
Cabbage meaning - This image depicts jealousy around you, if there are dots this will very likely be in a work environment.
Clock meaning - If you have had some health concerns there will be some improvement, if the matter is emotional or psychological your thoughts are to become more positive.
Clouds meaning - There are some challenges heading your way, with dots you will be dealing with more than one matter at a times.
Cat meaning - There is possibly someone in your life who is not quite as you envisaged, be wary if your instincts are telling you to give someone a wide berth.
Cup meaning - You are to be justly rewarded.
Comb meaning - Are you being naive in a situation regarding another person.
Cross meaning - Possibly doing something you do not want to do, maybe giving something up.
Duck meaning - Money to come.
Dagger meaning - Be aware of who you spend your time with, choose carefully.
Dish meaning - Quarrels are likely in the home environment so tread warily, mediation is better than confrontation.
Dog meaning - A supportive friend, if at the bottom of the cup a friend will require your help.
Door meaning - The events coming your way will require you to be flexible.
Envelope meaning - You are to hear some auspicious news.
Eye meaning - Exercise caution if you are taking on anything new in your life, take off your rose coloured glasses and see clearly, do not gloss over something that troubles you, pay attention.
Egg meaning - The egg in a teacup is always a good symbol, it depicts luck and or happy news.
Elephant meaning - What else can the elephant mean but strength, wisdom and serenity.
Fire meaning - If at the top of the cup it means achievements, if at the bottom of the cup you are urged to pay attention to detail, do not rush into anything.
Feather meaning - Be aware of not letting something you should be paying attention to, go by without you noticing, a lack of concentration may be evident if this symbol is in your teacup.
Face meaning - This means changes to come, and there may be a momentary setback in your life.
Fence meaning - You may be dancing on a shifting carpet for a time where nothing in your life feels stable, endeavor to keep your balance and your good spirits and you will overcome. Take note of the rest of your reading for more detail.
Fish meaning - Something fortunate is to take place.
Fan meaning - Romance is depicted if single, if you are not single there are some romantic moments ahead.
Forked line meaning - If a forked line appears in your teacup there are decisions to be made, make then with care and consideration.
Flag meaning - Be aware of where you are going and what you are doing don't take chances progress with care be street wise and listen to your intuition.
Fly meaning - There could be some family tension, never underestimate the benefits of a round table conference to clear the air.
Fruit meaning - If you see fruit in your teacup you are being assured of abundance as this is the sign of prosperity.
Goat meaning - Be fully aware of who are and who aren't your friends, be honest with yourself.
Grapes meaning - A beautiful bunch of grapes spells happiness for you and yours.
Gate meaning - You will take the correct steps to open the right doors to ensure your success.
Glass meaning - You or someone close to you behaving with integrity.
Gun meaning - The depiction of a gun in your reading shows there is anger around you and it may be necessary to defer to someone for guidance.
Hourglass meaning - A decision needs to be made.
Hammer meaning - It will take some due diligence to complete a task.
Hat meaning -There will be well timed improvement and success around you in business, career.
Hawk meaning - There may be some jealousy around you if you know where it is coming from you can be aware and possibly address it, if you don't care to address it, or it is not appropriate then be aware.
Horse meaning - Good news to come if the horse is in motion, if only the head is shown there is a passionate lover around you.
Horseshoe meaning - Good luck is yours.
House meaning - The depiction of a house in a reading reveals security.
Heart meaning - This is always to do with pleasure, joy and love.
Harp meaning - Serenity, calm, harmony, love.
Hand meaning - An open hand depicts friendship, a hand that is closed reveals there is to be a disagreement with someone.
Ice, iceberg meaning - Be cautious around those you do not know well, always trust your intuition.
Insect meaning - Some difficulties you have around you at the moment you will overcome quickly.
Jewels meaning - There is a surprise gift to come your way.
Kangaroo meaning - There will be peace, joy, calm and balance in your home.
Kettle meaning - This sign means that you will overcome any ailment quickly.
Kite meaning - What you have wanted will be yours if you see this symbol in your teacup.
Knife meaning - This meaning of a knife in your reading depicts a friendship coming to an end.
Lines meaning - If the line are wavy there is an uncertain path ahead and you must look clearly at your motives, if the lines are straight you will progress successfully with obstacles.
Ladder meaning - Attainment, success, progress, career move, business growth.
Lamp meaning - At the bottom of your teacup this means something will be put on hold in your life, if at the side of your cup something that has been secret or shut away will be revealed to you, if at the top there is abundance and a happy gathering.
Leaf meaning - Be ready to walk through the gateway into a new life or a new way of conducting yourself in the world, this is a most auspicious symbol.
Lion meaning - Those who are influential will play a part in your life.
Lock meaning - There are some obstacles ahead for you to overcome, keep your thoughts positive.
Loop meaning - You are being urged not to act impulsively.
Letter meaning - You will be hearing some news.
Mouse meaning - Make sure you secure doors and windows when you go out, and lock your car, don't leave anything valuable in your car, this is the sign of theft so be aware.
Man meaning - If the shape of a man is near the handle there is to be a visitor, if far away from the handle the visit will not take place in the near future.
Mushroom meaning - If reversed there will be some difficulty or frustration in your life that is necessary for you to stoically overcome, if near the bottom there is to be rapid growth in your life, if at the top of your cup there will be a home move and this is possibly to the country.
Mountain meaning - There will be challenges ahead as you set yourself some positive goals and with steadfast application you will overcome and succeed.
Mask meaning - There is excitement and anticipation around you, it is possible you may be feeling insecure.
Needle meaning - You will be recognized and acknowledged for something that you do.
Nail meaning - There is likely to be something taking place in your life that is unjust or unfair and you will have to stand your ground and wait patiently until it passes.
Necklace meaning - This depicts completion, or if broken it can depict a relationship in difficulty.
Owl meaning - There is talk or should I say gossip around you, someone may be involved in something that is not acceptable or scandalous.
Octopus meaning - Be aware of who you choose to spend time with and don't take unnecessary risks such as climbing up on a rickety ladder or placed a lamp next to a bath filled with water, I think you get the idea.
Ostrich meaning - When an Ostrich is shown in a reading it depicts travel for the seeker.
Oak meaning - With the sign of an oak in your reading you are assured of a long and healthy life.
Purse meaning - If at the bottom of the cup, be aware of money and how you are using it as the symbol of a purse at the bottom means you could experience some loss. If at the top of the cup it means there is money to come to you.
Parasol meaning - If single there is a new lover to enter your life, if in a relationship you will inject more romance into your love life.
Palm Tree meaning - There is success for you and a feeling of achievement.
Parrot meaning - There is a journey to come for you, also don't leave yourself open to gossip.
Pig meaning - Be aware of overindulgence on all levels.
Pistol meaning - Take care not to put yourself in dangerous situations, if already there seek some wise counsel.
Question Mark meaning - Look before you leap, proceed with caution.
Raven meaning - You are to receive some unsettling news.
Rake meaning - Pay attention to detail, do not rush anything, or rush into anything.
Rose meaning - There will be warm feelings from others towards you.
Rabbit meaning - There will be a need to stand up and be counted, be courageous.
Scissors meaning - Rifts within relationships.
Saw meaning - Someone is interfering in your life, when taking any action listen to your higher self, your intuition.
Scale meaning - This scales depict legal matter and if the scale is balanced you will receive the desired result, if unbalanced you may not agree with the result.
Sheep meaning - The sheep is a symbol of good fortune.
Sun meaning - The glowing golden ball spells success, achievement, power, joy and celebration.
Spider meaning - You will be recognized for work you have done and you will be rewarded.
Spoon meaning - The spoon depicts generosity from you towards others or from them towards you, whichever it is will depend on the rest of the reading, either way it engenders a nice feeling.
Shoe meaning - There are positive and rewarding changes to take place.
Sword meaning - There are disagreements around you try not to overreact.
Star meaning - Health wealth and happiness is to be yours.
Snake meaning - Wisdom and understanding, choose your friends carefully.
Ship meaning - An auspicious journey is to take place.
Shelter meaning - Pay attention to your health, if there is something that needs to be attending to see a medical practitioner, be aware of your finances at this time, be cautious with money.
Shelter meaning - There is some pleasant news coming your way.
Table meaning - Happy social gatherings.
Tower meaning - There are some disappointments to be faced.
Triangle meaning - With this sign in your teacup you can expect the unexpected.
Tent meaning - There will be travel for you.
Tree meaning - There are to be some improvements around you.
Tortoise meaning - Someone is to give you constructive criticism, listen well and respond to their wise and caring words.
Thimble meaning - There are to be some changes at home.
Umbrella meaning - There are some minor concerns that will require your attention to enable you to lay them to rest.
Urn meaning - There is abundance and joy to come your way.
Violin meaning - An egocentric personality is depicted.
Vase meaning - You will be called up by a friend who needs your help.
Volcano meaning - Emotions are to erupt try to keep your cool.
Wings meaning - Some messages are to reach you.
Waterfall meaning - A waterfall depicts prosperity.
Wheel meaning - If the wheel is broken there will be difficulties and challenges to overcome, if complete good fortune is to be yours what you have been waiting for will come to you.
Wagon meaning - A wedding is depicted.
Wasp meaning - A relationship may need some care and attention.
Wolf meaning - There is some jealousy around you.
Yoke meaning - Being under pressure, in a situation that stifles you, possibly an overbearing person in your life.
Zebra meaning - You are very likely to be travelling overseas.
Ritual to Apologize to Mother Earth
Face East, and breathe deeply of the air. Feel it enter your lungs. Feel the life-giving air of the planet fill your lungs and aerate your body. Feel the effects of clean, pure air and what it means to sustaining life. Then recite the following.
"I apologize to the Guardians of the East, elementals of Air for my part in their defilement. I abhor my role in the wanton destruction of the ozone layer, for my thoughtless past use of CFC's. For those times when apathy and laziness prevented me walking, and I drove and contributed to air pollution.
I apologize for using products that are manufactured in ways that contribute to pollution of the air we breathe. I regret my past indiscriminate use of aerosol products that may have worsened the problems that already existed.
In atonement for my acts, I avow to be more conscious of future behaviour, and do all within my power to minimize and stop further damage to this valuable resource."
Then plant a tree within a pot or within the ground. Nurture the plant with fresh water and visualize this plant giving off rich, life-sustaining oxygen, so valuable for life. See it's role within the ecosystem. See it strengthening and repairing some of the past damage done.
Move to the North, and feel the heat of the sun upon your body. Feel the warmth of the radiant heat, the power of the transformative properties this element contains. Recite the following.
"I apologize to the Guardians of the North, elementals of Fire. I did not respect your powerful transformative energies. Countless times I incinerated things that were not meant to be burnt. I breathed of the toxic fumes and knew I had done wrong. Many times I watched the smoke rise from factories, smoke generated from incorrect use of your properties within various processing stages; and I accepted this without question.
Many times I burnt that which could have been re-used, recycled or composted, contributing to the deleterious effects on the environment. I avow that no more shall I use the power of fire without first thinking of the consequences of my actions
Move to the West, and immerse your hands in the clean pure water that is there. Feel it liquid, cool and refreshing as it covers your hands. Cup those hands and raise them to your lips. Drink of the life-giving waters that flow from the heart of the Mother. Recite the following:
"I apologize to the Guardians of the West, elementals of Water. I humbly apologize for my transgressions which saw me pour inappropriate waste products down the sink. All the times that saw me turn my back upon obvious acts of water vandalism.
I deeply regret all the litter I have dropped in the past that may have found it's way into the water system and polluted this beautiful resource. I am shameful of the times I have used chemicals that have poisoned our water supply. I now accept the responsibility of ensuring a clean and uncontaminated water supply from this point forward."
Again, drink of the water. Visualize this water giving you new focus a and new strength. Feel the vitality of it, and know that you have a role in maintaining the purity of this resource upon the earth. Take some of this water and nourish your new tree with it. See how the elements need to be respected, protected, and honored, in order for them to work in harmony.
Move to the South, and place your hands upon the earth. Feel Gaia breathing beneath your hands. Feel her breath, labored with the load of pollution, overcrowding, excessive water disposal, deforestation, mining, and animal extinction. Feel Gaia's burden, and be in empathy with Her. Recite the following:
"I apologize for my acts of destruction and abuse in excessive consumption. I regret my failure to reduce, re-use and recycle constantly. I regret all the times I have passed litter and not thought to pick it up and help you in your struggle.
For each time I used a product that results in the loss of your valuable resources; the trees, the minerals, the air and water we need to survive. I apologize for taking you for granted and not respecting the gifts you have to offer
From this point forward, I will be mindful of what I use, and how this effects the environment around me. I will endeavour to use my new awareness in order to slow that which I have simply accepted in the past."
Plant another tree in the soil in your garden. Know that this tree will place roots deep within the soil. This tree will link you with the planet, and heighten your connectedness to protecting the environment you live within.
Spell to Find a Lost Pet / Spell to Make Your Pet Return
For Help in Finding a Lost Animal Using The Tarot
by Janina Renee, Tarot Spells (Llewellyn's New Age Tarot Series),© 1990
The Tarot doesn't actually have any cards specifically pertaining to animals. However, many decks use animals as symbols in some of the illustrations.
For spells involving animals, we can use these cards, concentrating on the animal in the picture and ignoring the card's conventional meaning. The spells here use the Rider-Waite deck, but if you are using another deck, you will want to look it over to see whether it uses the same animals as Waite, and also whether it has other cards that show animals.
Cards that can be used as significators for animals include the 9 OF PENTACLES, THE STAR, and the ACE OF CUPS for birds; the QUEEN OF WANDS for cats; STRENGTH for domestic cats and big cats like lions and tigers; THE MOON, THE FOOL, and the 10 OF PENTACLES for dogs and wolves; the PAGE OF CUPS and The MOON for fish and aquatic life; THE SUN, the 6 OF WANDS, and all of the KNIGHTS for horses; the KING OF WANDS for lizards and reptiles, the QUEEN OF PENTACLES for rabbits; and THE LOVERS for snakes.
If you don't find the above-mentioned possible significator cards satisfactory, you can also use a picture of the animal or animals in place of a Tarot card to be the significator.
The layout is cross-shaped, as the cross is an ancient symbol of protection appropriate for the protective feelings many of us have toward animals, and especially the concern we feel for lost animals. The 6 OF CUPS, which forms the base of this cross, is a card that rekindles love and renews old ties, acting to draw the lost animal back to its home and to the people who love it. THE MAGICIAN stands for the utilization of resources, and assures that all measures will be taken and all efforts utilized in the search. THE STAR brings luck and hope--elements very necessary to such an undertaking. THE HERMIT reveals where that which is lost may be found. Here, THE HERMIT shines his lamp on the card chosen to represent the lost pet.
If you wish to use accessories for this spell, use pink candles, flowers, crystals, gemstones and cloth, as pink is the color of affectionate love. If possible, also have some pictures of the missing pet laid out. (You can also include pieces of hair, feathers, whiskers or such from the pet in question.) Also, for this particular spell you will need to have a lit candle nearby, whether or not you choose to include lighting candles as part of this ritual.
To perform this spell, you can proceed by laying out the cards and doing the following meditation, visualization, and affirmation.
MEDITATION AND VISUALIZATION
Lay out the cards when you come to the appropriate point in the spell.
Lay the animal's SIGNIFICATOR down first. Visualize the animal, recalling its features and mannerisms to the best of your ability. Picture the missing pet being drawn to the light of the candles--to the light of love. Hold your hands above the candle flames for a few moments. Feel the warmth of the candles, and visualize the light of the candles acting as a beacon to lead the animal home.
Lay down the SIX OF CUPS, and think about all of the good times you and your pet have had together. Try to remember the day you first got your pet, what they were like as a youngster, etc.
As you lay down THE MAGICIAN, consider the various courses of action that may be taken in the search for your pet.
Lay down THE STAR, a card for wishing. Make a wish for your pet to return.
Finally, lay down THE HERMIT, visualizing your pet being found or returned, and how happy you both will be to be reunited.
AFFIRMATION
After you have finished meditating on the cards and visualizations, carefully, and with as much feeling as you can, recite the following affirmation:
"As I set forth these cards in the light of these candles, the small friend for whom I have so much love is drawn home to me!
I do not cease trying to find my friend until he/she returns home.
I call upon all good spirits and all good powers who care about small and helpless creatures to aid me in my search!
My small friend (name of pet) is brought home through the spell which I call forth.
It shines like a beacon that my animal friend can see!
As my will, so mote it be!"
You may consider the spell closed at this point, or you may close the spell as desired.
How To Honor the Harvest's End - A Samhain Ritual for Wiccans and Pagans
Celebrate the final harvest with a ritual.
Image © Patti Wigington 2010
Samhain represents, among other things, the end of the harvest season. If
you haven't picked it by Samhain, you probably won't be eating it! The
gardens have died off by now, and where we once saw lush green plants, there
is nothing left but dry and dead stalks. The perennials have shut down for
the season too, going dormant so that they may return to us in the spring.
Animals are brought in from the fields for the winter -- and if you've ever
had a spider come wandering into your living room one chilly October night,
you know that even the insects are trying to find a place to stay warm.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Varied
Here's How:
If we had lived a few hundreds of years ago, we would not only have brought
our cows and sheep in from the pastures. Most likely we'd slaughter a few of
them, as well as some pigs and goats, smoking the meat so it would last
through the cold months. Our grain that we picked back at Lughnasadh has
been baked into bread, and all of our herbs have been gathered, and hang
from the rafters in the kitchen. The harvest is over, and now it's time to
settle in for winter with the coziness of a warm fireplace, heavy blankets,
and big pots of comfort food on the stovetop.
If you want to celebrate Samhain as the time of harvest's end, you can do so
as a single ritual, or as the first of three days of ceremony. If you don't
have a permanent altar in place, set up a table to leave in place for the
three days prior to Samhain. This will act as a your family's temporary
altar for the Sabbat. Decorate the altar with symbols of late fall, such as:
Skulls, skeletons, grave rubbings, ghosts
Harvest food such as pumpkins, squash, root vegetables
Nuts and berries, dark breads
Dried leaves and acorns
A cornucopia filled with an abundance of fruit and veggies
Mulled cider, wine, or mead
To begin your ceremony, prepare a meal for the family -- and this is
something that everyone can get involved in. Put emphasis on fruits and
vegetables, and wild game meat if available. Also make sure you have a loaf
of a dark bread like rye or pumpernickel and a cup of apple cider or wine.
Set the dinner table with candles and a fall centerpiece, and put all the
food on the table at once. Consider the dinner table a sacred space.
Gather everyone around the table, and say:
Tonight is the first of three nights,
On which we celebrate Samhain.
It is the end of the harvest, the last days of summer,
And the cold nights wait on the other side for us.
The bounty of our labor, the abundance of the harvest,
The success of the hunt, all lies before us.
We thank the earth for all it has given us this season,
And yet we look forward to winter,
A time of sacred darkness.
Take the cup of cider or wine, and lead everyone outside. Make this a
ceremonial and formal occasion. If you have a vegetable garden, great! Go
there now -- otherwise, just find a nice grassy spot in your yard. Each
person in the family takes the cup in turn and sprinkles a little bit of
cider onto the earth, saying:
Summer is gone, winter is coming.
We have planted and
We have watched the garden grow,
We have weeded,
And we have gathered the harvest.
Now it is at its end.
If you have any late-fall plants still waiting to be picked, gather them up
now. Collect a bundle of dead plants and use them to make a straw man or
woman. If you follow a more masculine path, he may be your King of Winter,
and rule your home until spring returns. If you follow the Goddess in her
many forms, make a female figure to represent the Goddess as hag or crone in
winter.
Once that is done, go back inside and bring your King of Winter into your
home with much pomp and circumstance. Place him on your table and prop him
up with a plate of his own, and when you sit down to eat, serve him first.
Begin your meal with the breaking of the dark bread, and make sure you toss
a few crumbs outside for the birds afterwards. Keep the King of Winter in a
place of honor all season long -- you can put him back outside in your
garden on a pole to watch over next spring's seedlings, and eventually burn
him at your Beltane celebration.
When you are finished with your meal, put the leftovers out in the garden.
Wrap up the evening by playing games, such as bobbing for apples or telling
spooky stories before a bonfire.
What You Need:
A table to use as your Samhain altar
Decorations that represent the late autumn season
A meal with lots of veggies, fruit, and bread
A cup of wine or cider
Samhain Divination
Seeing the Future at Halloween
In many agricultural societies, a popular pastime at Samhain was that of divining the name of one's future lover. Some revealed a face, others an initial or even a full name. These traditional methods were practiced in rural societies for centuries. You can use them today for your own divination.
Apple Divination
Apples have always been popular tools for foretelling the future. There are a number of traditional methods in folklore for seeing who one's lover might be.
a.. Peel the apple, keeping the peel in one long piece. When the peel comes off, drop it on the floor. The letter it forms is the first initial of your true love's name.
b.. Wait until midnight at Samhain, and cut an apple into nine pieces. Take the pieces into a dark room with a mirror (either hanging on the wall or a hand-held one will do). At midnight, begin eating the pieces of apple while looking into the mirror. When you get to the ninth piece, throw it over your shoulder. The face of your lover should appear in the mirror.
c.. If a girl has more than one potential lover, peel an apple and pull out the seeds. Place a wet seed on your cheek for each boyfriend. The last one left stuck to the skin represents the suitor who is the true love.
Water Divination
Water has always been known for its magical properties, so it's only natural to use it for divination workings. Try one of these on Samhain night.
a.. At midnight on Samhain, go to a lake and gaze into the water. You should see your lover's face reflected in the lake before you.
b.. Fill a cauldron with water, and then light a candle. Drip the hot wax into the water, and see what shape it forms. The shape will indicate the profession of your future lover.
c.. Find a moving body of water like a stream or river. Select a piece of wood to represent the person you wish to be your lover, and throw it in the water. If it floats downstream, he will be true and constant. If the wood gets caught up on the bank, or sinks, your lover will be unfaithful.
Food Divination
There are a number of divinations that use foods, baking and cooking as their focus. Some of these are still practiced today.
a.. Scottish Bannock Divination: in Scotland and northern England, a girl would bake a bannock cake in the evening. In complete silence, she walked to her room and placed the bannock under her pillow. Her dreams that night would show her the face of her lover, and in the morning she ate the bannock.
b.. To find out if you'll find love in the coming twelve months, separate an egg and drop the white into a glass of water. If it sinks immediately, love is forthcoming. If it floats on the top of the water, you'll spend the next year alone.
c.. Take two nuts, one for yourself and one for your lover. At midnight on Samhain, place them on a grate over your fire. If they burn well, you'll have a long and happy relationship. If one nut pops or burns, it means one of you will be unfaithful.
How To Hold a Seance
By Patti Wigington, About.com Guide
A séance is an event that can either be fantastic, or a real mess. Which one it is will depend on how much preparation goes into it. With a little bit of planning and thought ahead of time, you can pave the way for your séance to go smoothly. Certainly, it's a good idea to expect the unexpected -- after all, the dead are hardly predictable -- but by setting yourself a few guidelines in advance, you can make sure that everyone has the best experience possible.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Varied
Here's How:
1.. Plan your guest list: Figure out how many people you're going to have -- and make sure the space you're using will allow them all. If your living room only seats eight people comfortably, don't invite fifteen! Also, be sure that everyone attending is open-minded to the spirit world. People who are adamantly "non-believers" bring a certain amount of negative energy, and this can be disruptive. You may also find that it adversely effects your communication with the spirits during your séance.
2.. Create a Spirit-Friendly Atmosphere: Most people like to conduct a séance at a round or oval table, but if neither is available, don't worry. Drape the table with fabric or sheets -- some people prefer light colors to attract "friendly" spirits, but it's a matter or personal preference. If you use incense, be sure that no one in your group is allergic to it. Place incense somewhere away from the table, rather than on the table itself. Candles are a nice addition as well -- not only do they provide some visibility, but there's a school of thought that believes spirits are attracted to heat and light sources.
3.. Common Sense: Help everyone get comfortable by offering refreshments before you begin. Make sure that guests will be respectful of the spirits, and of other guests. Turn off all cell phones. If anyone needs to go to the bathroom or have a smoke, do so before you begin. Set the thermostat at a comfortable temperature -- remember that spirit activity can cause some fluctuation in levels of cold or heat. Once everyone is seated, you can help everyone relax by doing a short guided mediation, offering a prayer, or casting a protective circle, if your tradition requires you to do so.
4.. During the Seance: Although many people like to do this, you don't have to hold hands to raise energy. In fact, if a séance goes on too long, it can get downright uncomfortable. Whoever is acting as the leader of the séance -- the medium -- should ask the spirits to join the group. If there is a specific spirit you are trying to contact, ask for them by name. For example, now would be the time to say, "Dear Auntie Gertrude, we respectfully ask that you honor us with your presence this evening." In some séances, spirits are summoned by chanting -- this will be up to your medium to decide on.
5.. As long as the spirits seem willing to reply, you can carry on a question and answer session with them. Bear in mind that spirits respond in many different ways. Sometimes there will be a tangible reaction -- a tap, a thump, a soft breeze. Other times -- particularly if you have a room full of very psychically gifted people -- the spirit may choose to respond through another person. This may be the medium, or any other guest. The individual may simply "get a message" to pass along, which they would then share, such as, "Your Auntie Gertrude wants you to know she isn't in pain any more."
6.. Party Time: Sometimes, particularly if you have a group of psychically gifted individuals as guests, you may get several spirits arriving all at once, chattering away. This is not cause for alarm, but it does take some managing, because they've all got something to say. Treat it like you would any other conversation with a large group of people -- let each spirit get their turn to deliver the message they came with, and then move on to the next one. Also, bear in mind that not all spirits are from departed humans -- deceased pets may also have a message to pass along.
7.. Unwanted Entities: Just like at any other party, sometimes a séance will bring an uninvited guest. In this case, when you have a spirit that seems malevolent or mischievous, someone needs to let them know they're unwelcome. Typically, this will be the medium who is leading the séance, who will usually say something like, "You are not wanted here, but we thank you for your presence. Now it is time for you to move on."
If an entity arrives that seems angry or hostile and will not leave, no matter what you do, end the séance. Chances are good that it's been attracted to someone in your group who is dysfunctional.
8.. Closing the Door: When you're done with the séance, it's important that guests thank the spirits for coming to visit. After all, you would do so if you had living guests drop in!
If one of your attendees seems to have slipped into a trance or a sleep-like state during the séance, allow them to return gradually, on their own. Do NOT shake them awake. Chances are they'll have a message for someone once they're back among the group.
9.. Close the séance by telling the spirits farewell, thanking them, and asking them to move along. You may want to offer a small blessing or prayer as a way of ending the formal séance, but bear in mind that some spirits like to hang around after the séance has officially finished. If they do, it's okay. They're probably just curious, and they may return to visit you later in the evening during a dream sequence.
Tips:
1.. Before you begin your seance, smudge the area with sage or sweetgrass for ritual cleansing.
2.. Make sure you've eliminated potential distractions, such as children or ringing telephones. Interestingly, many pets seem to come and go through spirit activity without causing any disruption. Cats in particular tend to be very curious about what's going on.
3.. Your guests may wish to bring an object that belonged to a deceased person, as a way of strengthening the connection. Photographs are also good links to the dead.
Upside Down Pizza
Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 envelope dry spaghetti sauce mix
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (8 oz.) can refrigerated crescent rolls
2 Tbsp. melted margarine or butter
Directions:
Brown ground beef and onion; drain. Add dry spaghetti mix and tomato sauce. Simmer to flavor mixture. Spread meat mixture in greased 9x13 inch pan. Layer on cheese and sour cream. Top with crescent roll; brush with butter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. 8-10 servings.
By Robin from Washington, IA
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cheesy Potato Bake
Ingredients:
1 pkg. frozen hash brown potatoes
1 can cream of celery soup
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese,
1 (4 oz.) pkg. mozzarella cheese, shredded
instant minced onion
Directions:
Heat cream cheese in saucepan over low heat until melted. Stir in soup. Place frozen potatoes evenly in 9x13 glass baking dish. Pour sauce over. Don't stir in. Top with onion flakes. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Top with mozzarella cheese. Place in oven for 15 minutes more or until cheese melts.
Roasted Chicken Plus Leftovers
Great meal the first day and lots of tasty leftovers. Always a big hit.
Ingredients:
Roast Chicken
3 1/2 lb. roasting chicken
1 tsp. butter
1/4 tsp. sea salt
pinch of pepper
4 onions, halved
2 whole heads of garlic, tops removed
4 carrots, 1 cut in thirds
4 plum tomatoes, halved
1 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 apples, halved
Minted Potatoes
3 - 3 1/2 pounds of mini potatoes
2 tsp. butter
1 Tbsp. fresh mint
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Rinse and pat dry the chicken. Place in a roasting pan. Rub with butter and season with sea salt and pepper. Stuff with one half of one onion, 1 head of garlic, and chopped carrot.
Place the remaining halved onions, remaining garlic, remaining carrots, and plum tomatoes around the chicken. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Cover and place in a 375 degree F oven for 60 minutes. Remove the cover, add apples and cook an additional 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in a leg joint causes clear juice to run.
Portion the chicken and save the leftovers, including a roasted onion, half the tomatoes and head of garlic, for tomorrow.
For Minted Potatoes
Cover potatoes with cold, salted water in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Remove the lid; reduce the heat to a rolling simmer and cook until soft (but not falling apart), about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain. Return half the hot potatoes to the pot and stir in butter, mint, and salt and pepper.
Reserve the rest of the potatoes for tomorrow.
Leftover Option 1: Tomorrow's Lunch
Omelet: Chop the chicken and onion into small pieces. Squeeze the roasted garlic from its skin. Whisk 12 eggs with 2 tablespoons cold water and a pinch of salt and pepper.
For each omelet, melt 1/4 teaspoon butter in a non-stick, oven-proof omelet pan over medium-high heat, or spray with a thin coating of olive oil. Pour 1/2 cup of eggs into a pan and stir with a rubber spatula until the eggs begin to set. Sprinkle chicken, onion, and garlic over the eggs and move them into a preheated 350 degree F oven for 1 minute. Remove from the oven, fold and serve.
Home Fries: Cook 2 strips bacon, cut in 1 inch slices, with a small onion, thinly sliced, in a skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes (until the onion is soft and bacon begins to crisp). Drain the fat. Add potatoes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and paprika and a pinch of pepper and cayenne. Cook. stirring occasionally, until brown, about 10 minutes.
Serve with any leftover tomatoes on the side.
Leftover Option 2: Tomorrow's Supper
Pasta: Stir 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons flour together in a medium pot over medium heat, with a wooden spoon, until the batter begins to brown. Slowly whisk in 1 cup milk, then stir in 1 cup whipping cream. Heat, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a separate pan over medium-high heat, warm the leftover chicken, roasted onions, tomatoes, garlic, and 1/2 a red onion, thinly sliced. Meanwhile, cook 1 pound fettuccine in a large pot of boiling, salted water until the pasta is al dente. Drain, portion into bowls, cover with sauce, then top with the chicken mixture and the zest of one lemon. Serve with fresh pepper and Parmesan cheese. Top with a leftover tomato.
Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 2/3 cups flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup salad oil
1/2 cup water
1 cup pumpkin
2 eggs
1/2 cup nuts
Directions:
Combine sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cloves, cinnamon, salad oil, water, pumpkin and eggs. Mix 3 minutes; fold in nuts. Spread mixture in well-greased loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees F for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Portobello Mushrooms With Goats’ Cheese and Rosemary Recipe – Ingredients and Method
Serves 1, as is, but simply increment quantities for more people.
Slice of crusty bread
Portobello Mushroom
Crumbly Goats Cheese
Few Sprigs of Rosemary
Olive oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Roughly Chopped Walnuts
Pre-heat oven to 200 c.
Start by toasting your slice of bread; I used a griddle pan on a high heat as this gives a nice lined effect to the surface. Set aside and allow to cool.
Wipe the mushrooms with a kitchen towel and place on a kitchen tray. Crumble over the goats cheese to provide a good covering, slightly mounded. Place a couple of sprigs of rosemary on top, then drizzle with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Place in the oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is nicely melted, then place on top of your slice of bread on a plate. Sprinkle over the walnuts, and you’re done.
Enjoy
Meatloaf Mice
A great way to get the family to eat meat loaf! A Halloween must at my house!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup catchup
2 egg whites; beaten
6 oz. ground turkey
6 oz. ground beef
1 onion, chopped fine
2/3 cup oatmeal, uncooked
salt and pepper to taste
carrots
spaghetti noodles, uncooked
raisins
spaghetti sauce, canned
Directions:
First, cut 2 coins per mice out of the carrots for ears. Then make long thin strips out of the remaining carrots for the tails, one for each mouse. Steam until they are crisp tender. Don't overcook!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the ingredients for the mice bodies and shape into 4 little mice shaped loafs on baking sheet. Have them shaped to a point in the front and rounded in the back. Bake for 45 minutes in preheated oven or until desired doneness.
Cut little slits for the ears about 1/3 from the pointed end of the meatloaf mouse body. Place the carrot coins in the slits for the ears. Make a tiny slit in the rounded wide end for the tail and place one of the carrot strips in the slit for the tail. Use the raisins for the eyes. Break the uncooked spaghetti noodles into pieces and place around the "nose" (pointed end) for whiskers. Heat the spaghetti sauce. Place a large spoonful of sauce on a plate. Place a meatloaf mouse on top of the spaghetti sauce to serve.
Servings: 4-6
Time: 15 Minutes Preparation Time
45 Minutes Cooking Time
How to Decorate Your Own Witch Theme Kitchen
By LauraCait
I want to do this! What's This?
Witches are a time-honored part of the Halloween tradition and continue to be the chosen costumes of many. The perfect way to compliment your costume and show off to your friends is to make witch theme decorations for your kitchen. Whether you go all out or stay within a budget, your kitchen is bound to impress all of your Halloween guests.
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need:
jars and bottles
plants
construction paper
tape
string
scissors or X-acto knife
fabric
cardboard
cauldron
3 ring binder
broom and witch hat
Take old jars and bottles and fill them with plants from the garden or colored water. You can also put candy and treats in some jars. Then create Halloween labels to glue to the outsides.
Decorate the front of the refrigerator by turning it into a ghoulish pantry. Create shelves using black construction paper and arrange them asymmetrically to achieve a more wicked effect. Add silhouettes of oddly-shaped jars and creatures. Then put tape on the backs of all your cutouts and attach them to your refrigerator door.
Tie string or twine around plants and herbs. Hang them from cabinet knobs or other fixtures in your kitchen to add to the witch theme.
Draw spooky animals on construction paper to place around your kitchen. Cats, bats, frogs, rats, and crows are good animals to start with. Use scissors or an X-acto knife to cut out the shapes. Tape them to the wall above your counter for a realistic look.
Decorate your kitchen table using old scraps of dark colored fabric. Drape the fabric over any surfaces that need an extra touch. Don't be afraid to layer different patterns.
Make signs that support your witch theme. Write things such as "Apothecary" or "The Witch's Brew" on cardboard and hang them on the wall. Be creative and add a corresponding drawing or Halloween font to your sign.
Set up a witch's cauldron on your counter. Fill it with Halloween punch or stash candy inside of it. Don't forget to add a wooden stirring spoon.
Construct your own spell book to keep next to your cauldron. Glue fabric around the cover of a 3 ring binder or old book. Then decorate your spell book using fabric paints, glitter, old jewelry, or anything else that you have.
Add a broom and a witch's hat to an empty corner and you will have a kitchen fit for a witch.
Tips & Warnings
Glass bottles can be purchased at craft stores and dollar stores.
Old jam jars can be cleaned out and used to store candy.
More is more when it comes to witches. Don't be afraid to clutter up your kitchen for Halloween. Add as many trinkets and candles as you can.
When using an X-acto knife be very careful. Don't cut towards any part of your body and make sure that any people around you are more than an arm's reach away.
Homemade Makeup Recipe
This is very cheap to make, so you may want to give it a try before the big night to make sure you and your child are happy with the result. The children will feel the makeup (it isn't uncomfortable -- it feels much like wearing normal makeup does) but some children don't like the feeling of something on their face and will rub at it incessantly, making a big mess of it. This advice holds for homemade AND store bought Halloween makeup. Also, children with sensitive skin will want to do a small patch test to make sure there are no reactions (some children are allergic to food coloring).
FAKE BLOOD (an idea from a viewer from New Zealand)
a tablespoon of tomato sauce and a couple of drops of red food colouring mixed together makes ideal blood as it is edible but leaves a little stain that doesn't cause to much concern.
Basic white make up
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp solid shortening (cooking shortening)
food color drops - don't use too much because it can stain the face.
Directions:
Mix the first two ingredients. One batch is enough to cover a child's face -- the recipe can easily be doubled.
To make different colors, divide the white makeup into small portions on old margarine container lids. Add drops of food coloring (a bit at a time) and stir with a plastic spoon or popsicle stick.
Apply makeup to the skin using fingers, cotton balls, makeup sponges or even clean paint brushes.
After applying makeup pat the skin gently with baby powder (use cotton balls or makeup sponges).
Ideas for using different colors:
A butterfly or fairy can have their face colored whatever the child's favorite color is (match the wings).
White:
pale vampire or witch
clown
dalmation dog
snowman (abominable or otherwise)
Green:
Make a full batch of icky green (green + a smidge of red should do it) to cover a witch's face.
Make a very, very light green for a forest fairy or sprite.
Also good for many pokemon (squirtle, for example)
Orange:
tiger
fire fairy or sprite
Yellow:
Make a full batch of yellow for a flower (face is center of the flower)
Make a full batch of yellow for Pikachu
Red:
Make a full batch of red for Clifford the Big Red Dog's face
Blue:
Make a full batch of blue for Blue's Clue's face
Make a very, very light blue for a water fairy or sprite
Skin Color:
many cartoon characters or toys, like the Powerpuff girls, Raggedy Ann and Andy or the Toy Story characters, will look more "cartoonish" with a coat of skin color applied
Why use this instead of mom's makeup?
Feel free to supplement with mom's makeup, but here are a few reasons why the homemade batch is often better:
let the kids make the homemade batch themselves -- it's lots of fun.
the colors turn out a lot more Halloween-y than the colors most of us are wearing these days -- depending on how/what food coloring you add. Not many of us wear a witch's gastly green.
boys may not appreciate mom's " makeup"
Ingredients
1 (500g) package chocolate cake mix
500g (1 1/4 lb) black liquorice laces
500g (1 1/4 lb) dark chocolate icing
48 jelly diamonds
48 mini jelly beans
Preparation method
1.
Prepare fairy cakes according to package directions. Let cool completely.
2.
Cut liquorice laces into 7cm (3 in) sections. Working with one or two cakes at a time, so the icing doesn't set before decorating, ice the fairy cakes with the chocolate icing. Insert liquorice pieces into the outer edges of the cakes to make the legs of the spider, 3 legs on each side (4 take up too much space). Place two jelly diamonds on the front for fangs and use two mini jelly beans as eyes. Repeat with remaining fairy cakes.
Tip:
Feel free to play around with the spider cake decorations - you can use Smarties or buttons for the eyes, or strawberry laces for the legs. Just try to make them look as scary as possible!
Grilled Italian Eggplant Slices
from Taste of Home
serves 4-5 as a side
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
5 teaspoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon each minced fresh oregano and rosemary)
3 small or 2 medium eggplants, cut into 8-10 slices
8-10 slices tomato
1 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (I used fresh)*
In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients.
Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium. Grill eggplant,covered, for about 3 minutes. Turn eggplant. Spoon Parmesan mixture evenly over the slices and top each with a tomato. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Grill, covered, 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
EASY POTLUCK DISHES
This weekend we are attending a family reunion, and it made me think you all would enjoy some recipes you could use for family gatherings. One thing I've done is mixed together cantaloupe, blueberries, strawberries and watermelon in a plastic bowl with a cover the night before the reunion. The juices mix and it doesn't even need a dressing. There is never any left when I bring this dish!
Caramel Apple Dessert
Ingredients:
1 (3.5 ounce box) instant Vanilla Pudding
1 cup 2% milk
1 container (8 ounce) Cool Whip
6-8 Granny Smith Apples,diced
6 Snicker bars, refrigerated and diced
Mix pudding mix with milk with a whisk. Fold in the Cool Whip and chill for at least 1 hour. Right before serving carefully mix in the diced apples and Snickers.
Pasta Crab Salad
Ingredients:
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. creamy Caesar salad dressing
2 tbsp. milk
1 (8 oz.) pkg. crab meat, diced
8 oz. small pasta shells, cooked and drained
2 green onions, minced
Optional: Peas, green pepper
Ground Black Pepper
Mix the mayonnaise and salad dressing plus the milk in a measuring cup or
container. Season with pepper. In a large serving bowl combine the crab,
green onions and pasta. Fold in the dressing and mix well. Cover and chill.
Cheese and Potato Bake
Ingredients:
2 lb. frozen, cubed hash browns
1/2 cup butter
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
8 oz. shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. pepper
Mix all ingredients well and spread into casserole. Bake at 350°F for 1 hours or until lightly browned and cheese bubbles.
Notes: You can put this in a crock pot to keep it warm if needed. If you cook it in the morning and wrap it in a heavy towel to transport it should still be warm for lunch
Chewy Caramel Popcorn and Pretzel Bars
from Everyday Food magazine
makes 12 bars
Nonstick cooking spray
12 cups plain popped popcorn (from 1/2 cup kernels or 2 microwave packages)
4 cups coarsely chopped small salted pretzels (7.5 ounces)
2 cups sugar
coarse salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 cups miniature marshmallows
Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, toss together popcorn and pretzels. In a medium saucepan, bring sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup water to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil, undisturbed, until mixture is amber in color, 8-12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and slowly pour in cream (mixture will sputter). Immediately add marshmallows and stir until melted.
Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and pretzels and quickly stir with a rubber spatula to coat. Transfer mixture to prepared dish and use a piece of plastic wrap coated with cooking spray to press evenly into dish. If desired, sprinkle with a little coarse salt. Let cool completely and cut into 12 bars. Store in an airtight container, at room temperature, up to 2 days.
* I was feeling racy, so I melted chocolate and drizzled it over the top of the bars. A little chocolate never hurt anyone, right?
Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Lemon
I usually only have Brussels sprouts a couple of times a year and this is one of my favorite ways to make them! The lemon juice is a perfect flavor compliment ;-)
Try doing cooked Brussel Sprouts with fried bacon bits, onion and add in sliced banana in lastly, also to make it a bit creamier add a tablespoon of creme fraiche.
Ingredients:
3/4 lb. Brussels sprouts, quartered
salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1 lemon, quartered serving
Directions:
Combine the sprouts and 1/2 cup water in a skillet and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until most of the water has evaporated and sprouts are crispy tender, about 5 to 8 minutes (add more water if necessary).
Increase heat to medium high, add oil to skillet and continue to cook, uncovered, without stirring, until sprouts are golden brown on underside, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice and season with a bit more salt and pepper if desired. Serve with lemon wedges.
Ingredients
250g plain flour
350g caster sugar
65g cocoa powder
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
250ml strong filter coffee
250ml buttermilk
125ml vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation method
1.
Preheat the oven to 180 C / Gas mark 4. Grease and flour two 23cm (9 in) round cake tins.
2.
In large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the centre.
Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared tins.
4.
CHICKEN & BACON SKEWERS
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons canola oil
10 large mushrooms, cut in half
2 green onions, minced
3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks
1/2 pound sliced thick cut bacon, cut in half
1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks
DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, mix the soy sauce, cider vinegar, honey,
and canola oil. Stir in the mushrooms and green onions.
Place the chicken in the mixture. Cover, and marinate in
the refrigerator at least 1 hour. Preheat an outdoor grill
for high heat, and lightly oil grate. Wrap the chicken
chunks with bacon, thread onto skewers. Alternate with
mushroom halves and pineapple chunks. Arrange skewers on
the prepared grill. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, brushing
occasionally with remaining soy sauce mixture, until bacon
is crisp and chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
Grilled Hawaiian Chicken
Ingredients
6 chicken breasts, boneless
2 C. pineapple juice
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 oz. soy sauce (regular or low sodium)
2 Tbs. brown sugar
Directions
Combine all ingredients except chicken and stir. Poke about 5-8 sets of holes in each chicken breast. Put chicken in marinade, making sure it is covered in the mixture. Add more pineapple juice if necessary. Cover tightly, and refrigerate for 24-36 hours. Grill when desired.
COMMENTS
-