Ideas on Enchanting Items

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

Here are a few ideas on how to enchant items, in no particular order:

Surround the item with crystals of corresponding intent
Surround the item with herbs of corresponding intent
Place the item in a jar filled with herbs that represent your intent
Place the item in front of a candle and meditate on your intent
Anoint the item with an oil, charged water, or crystal elixir of corresponding intent
Hold the item in your hand(s) and visualize it filling with the appropriate energy
Hold the item in your hand(s) and speak your intent aloud
Craft a sigil or symbol to keep near the item in an envelope or sachet
Sew, stitch, or carve a sigil into the item
Write your intention on paper and keep in an envelope with the item
Pair the item with a corresponding runestone or tarot / oracle card in an envelope
Take the item and put it in a box with other items that represent your intent such as crystals, herbs, talismans, amulets, etc.
Bury the item in soil with herbs and/or crystals that match your intent (please don’t put salt on your lawn though, unless you want dead grass)
Pass the item through incense smoke that matches your intent 

Suggestion on How to Enchant an Item

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

To enchant an item is to infuse it with magickal energy. This energy can come from a variety of sources, including planets, crystals, herbs, or even yourself.

Some individuals use the words “enchant” and “charm” synonymously as a way to describe the process of infusing something with energy, but for the sake of this post and due to my own beliefs, you enchant something and it then becomes a charm. Alternately, a charm can be something with its own innate energy, like a crystal or herbal amulet.

The process of enchanting is extremely versatile and there are many ways to do it successfully, so long as you keep your intent clear in your mind. My personal preference when it comes to enchanting items is to allow 12-24 hours (overnight or a full day) for the item to be infused with energy and become a charm – although, this is completely left up to the individual 

Suggestions on When to Cast Spells?

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan


DAY:
SUNDAY: (ruled by the sun) is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving banishing evil, exorcism, healing and prosperity. Colours: orange, white, yellow.

MONDAY: (ruled by the moon) is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving purification, protection, peace, the goddess, female fertility, messages, reconciliation, theft and voyages. Colours: silver, white, grey.

TUESDAY: (ruled by mars) is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving courage, energy, physical strength, stimulation, banishing negativity, revenge, military honour, courage, surgery and the breaking of negative spells. Colours: red, orange.

WEDNESDAY: (ruled by mercury) is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving communication, divination, writing, knowledge, wisdom, study and business transactions. Colours: yellow, grey, purple, and all opalescent hues.

THURSDAY: (ruled by Jupiter) is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving luck, wealth, happiness, health, legal matters, male fertility, healing animals and agriculture. Colours: blue, brown.

FRIDAY: (ruled by Venus) is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving love, romance, beauty, sex, marriage, friendships and partnerships. Colours: pink.

SATURDAY: (ruled by Saturn) is the proper day of the week to perform spells and rituals involving spirit communication, meditation, psychic attack or defence, locating lost things or missing persons and change. Colours: black, blue, grey, purple. Incense: black poppy seeds, myrrh.

You are a Witch!

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

I’m a What?
A witch, you say?
Let me tell you why that’s perfectly okay!
I’m filled with magic from head to toe
But things don’t just happen when I twitch my nose.
What’s that? A warty face and talking toads?
Come now, that misconception is pretty old.
Let me tell you all about the real me …
Then maybe… just maybe you will see.
My book of shadows is merely the pages of my mind.
That magic candle burning bright, that’s the light I carry inside.
My magic potion, simply put, is the love that I share.
My broomstick, how I fly – that’s my dreams drifting through the air.
The cauldron that holds my brew
Well that’s my soul, I thought you knew!
The brew that bubbles deep inside
You see that’s my spirit, I cannot hide.
So call me a witch if that’s what you want to do.
I’ll send you some love, for that’s the kind of magic that I do!

Emotional Awareness

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan


Emotional awareness is similar to introspection, though it is more concerned with real-time emotions. You can practice this anytime you experience any negative emotions by being present with them rather than trying to change or escape them. This is where shadow work begins to get a little more intense and indubitably uncomfortable, sometimes leading you down an agonizing rabbit hole. Most of us are so used to evading emotions we consider negative that we rarely sit with them and reflect on their origins. It can be very difficult to do this, but it is of utmost importance that you learn to.

Next time you are experiencing a bout of anger, sadness, hopelessness, etc., first bring yourself into the moment. Simply observe your emotions; let them flow through you without judgement. Note how a particular emotion makes you feel physically and what you associate it with mentally. Contemplate why this emotion manifested: what external stimuli and internal thoughts directly triggered it? Then ask yourself when was the first time you recall experiencing this emotion. This most often leads to a childhood memory, however vague. Don’t over-think it; let your emotions flow freely and guide your mind. If you come to a block, don’t try to force yourself through it. Instead, go on feeling whatever emotion is present without condemnation. Just observe; then try to understand why you feel the way you do.

Additionally, don’t become identified with any of your emotions; this is why we tend to incur unnecessary suffering, because we think of ourselves as being our thoughts and emotions– which is not truth. Even the way many of us express how we are feeling implies this deep seated misconception: “I am sad”, “I am happy”. A more appropriate iteration would be “I feel sad” or “I feel happy”.

Dream Work in Magick

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

Dream work is another relevant practice. Dreams reveal a great many “secrets” about ourselves and our thought processes. Even the most mundane dreams can possess enlightening revelations. By keeping a dream journal and working on interpreting them you may come to find some useful tidbits of information buried in your psyche.

This exercise may prove fairly difficult, especially if you have trouble remembering your dreams. If that is the case, first look into and practice ways in which to increase dream recall. Dream work can also become very intense for some; nightmares may be prevalent or implications and fragments of painful repressed memories may be unveiled.

To induce dreams specifically targeted to aid shadow work, try creating a bedtime ritual of sorts. Experiment with different herbs to combine and use for tea, light a candle programmed with your intention, evoke related spirit guides, reflect, meditate, etc. For best results, make it a highly customized ritual to be performed only when you deliberately want to induce these types of dreams, which often times may be intense and even exhausting– not something you generally want to experience every night or anytime you perform a bedtime ritual. 

Magical Journaling

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

Journaling serves as an ideal basis for practicing shadow work. In the beginning stages, it is a very basic, low intensity exercise that most anyone can do without worry of incurring any significant mental or emotional trauma– one might experience mild discomfort or aversion at worst. I recommend journaling as a continued practice to track the progress you make through other forms of shadow work as well.

A great place to start with shadow work journaling is by identifying the negative aspects of yourself that you are already aware of. If you have trouble doing this, try reflecting on what qualities you tend to judge in others. As a secondary approach, consider qualities you’ve been accused of possessing– I say this with reservation, however, due to the fact that others may have falsely accused you of possessing qualities that are actually a projection of their own shadow. Once you have identified some of your shadow aspects, contemplate the root of their existence and record your conclusions.

Astral Doubles: Doppelgangers, Flying Witches & Werewolves

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

In ancient times, astral projection was a natural, spiritual phenomena. One that was considered a gift and a sacred ability. It went hand-in-hand with shamanic journeying, witchcraft practices, and shapeshifting rituals. Here, you learn how the astral double left the body to warn others of oncoming danger, traverse the spiritual and otherworldly realms, and shift forms into other creatures. And we may be left wondering…do we still have these abilities?

What is Astral Projection?
Before we dive deep into the topic of astral doubles, we first have to define the roots of this concept. For that we have to take a brief look at the idea of astral projection. If you’ve heard any of the terms out-of-body experience, astral travel or lucid dreaming, you’re on the right track.

Out-of-body Experiences
An out-of-body experience is the inexplicable feeling you’ve left your body and can look down at yourself from above. Usually there’s a sense of floating up out of one’s body or detachment of some kind. These are used to explain near-death experiences as well as drug-induced states and also in our dream-time.

Astral Travel
What is astral projection or astral travel and how are these things different from an OBE (out-of-body experience)? Astral projection takes the OBE one step further – each of us have an astral body or “soul” that can separate from our physical body and travel. So it’s basically the same thing. These are old, primitive concepts that are still present in modern society in various guises. Many ancient cultures have talked about people having the ability to leave their bodies and travel. Ancient Pagan people from all over Europe have tales of this. Astral projection can be found in Hinduism, Buddhism and even Christianity. You just have to dig a bit to find it.

Dream Sleep Photomontage Woman Fantasy Bed
The Concept of Multiple Souls
The idea that we have an “astral” body seems bizarre but was a basic belief across the ancient world. If we look back to ancient forms of shamanism, the shaman had the ability to enter a trance-like state and travel to the other worlds. If we look at some of the oldest legends in pagan history in the Nordic and Germanic texts, there are references to people who have the ability of leaving their bodies. These people were said to fall asleep and travel great distances to deliver messages or perform deeds.

Even in Christianity…
Even in Christianity there is a concept of a person not only having a body and soul but having a body, spirit and soul. As a little girl, I remember my grandmother talking about this concept. She believed the soul was what made us who we are and the spirit was the part of us that was eternal. The part of us that left our bodies after death and traveled to Heaven or Hell (according to Christian beliefs). Looking at this theory now I can see the similarities in many cultures when it comes to seeing the human being as a multi-level, complex creature who may or may not have more than one soul or spirit.

The Ka in Ancient Egypt
In ancient Egypt, there was the belief the human being was composed of 9 bodies. One physical body and the rest spiritual or energetic in nature. The Ka was the part of the individual that could separate and travel to other places. We would call this the astral double today.

There are also those who believe we have more than one soul. That we can have multiple souls that have the ability to do different things. In Claude Lecouteax’s work Witches, Werewolves and Fairies: Shapeshifters and Astral Doubles in the Middle Ages, he presents striking evidence of this belief in not only ancient pagan people but also in modern day religions. The question is why would we have more than one soul? And if we have more than one soul, what can we do with them?

Astral Doubles: Separation From the Body
If the concept is correct, this means everyone has a soul or spirit or piece that separates from one’s body and travel elsewhere. This is often called an “astral double”.

Methods of Astral Projection

But how does an astral double separate from the body? Some say it’s an ability that everyone has, it’s just that most of us forget how to do so. Or that we do it in our sleep but forget by the time we wake up. Others say only certain people have this ability. Learning how to become lucid in a dream is one method. Meditation, trance-work, and psychotropics have also been used. In my experience, astral projection was during sleep and involuntary. There are certain signs and symptoms that I personally experience when I’ve been out astral traveling. OR when my astral soul is about to separate from my body.

Why do astral doubles separate from our bodies?
Going back centuries, a person’s astral double left the body while the person was asleep or in a trance-like state to gather information for an upcoming battle, deliver an important message, torment a sleeping enemy, or to warn of impending death. In ancient times, the shaman’s astral double traveled to other realms in search of lost souls (soul-retrieval), to learn how to heal someone, and to learn about the hunt. Today, if you google astral projection, people claim to use this method during dream-time to “have a trippy experience” or have some sort of encounter with otherworldly beings. But this ritual of separating from one’s body has a much deeper reason.

In old times, if a person couldn’t dream (and therefore astral project), they were considered unfortunate. People who were particularly skilled in astral travel and dream-time were frequently elevated to high status in a society: druids, shamans, priests and priestesses, witches, volvas, healers and seers.

Are doppelgangers actually our astral doubles?
Doppelgangers & Bad Omens
A doppelganger is defined as a living person’s double. They have been featured in horror films and fictional novels. Stories say doppelgangers appear right before a person’s death. This dates back to the Middle Ages and crosses religious boundaries – between pagans and Christians. Often the doppelganger will appear to a loved one to warn of his/her impending death, and when the loved one looks into the matter he/she finds the person is in fact dead. Typically they die right around the time the doppelganger appeared with the warning.

Bad Omens and Shapeshifter

Because of the correlation between doppelgangers and death, they are usually considered a bad omen. Some folk tales tell of a person seeing his/her own doppelganger before they are stricken ill or die. What does all of this have to do with astral doubles? Well, we demise that one’s doppelganger is simply one’s astral double separating from the body in order to deliver an important message. The astral double can take the form of an animal (which we will dive into further in the section below), and the “bad omen” of an owl or other bird appearing right before a person’s death might actually be the person’s astral double in animal form.

The Teacher’s Doppelganger

Doppelgangers have been seen on other occasions, apart from death or illness. There’s a well-documented story of a teacher whose doppelganger was seen by her entire class of students while she was proven to be physically somewhere else. This happened on several occasions and was not in conjunction with her impending death or a bad omen of any kind. This was simply her astral double traveling and appearing to her students.

Flying witches might have been the astral double of people on psychotropics.
Werewolves & Flying Witches
Not many people realize the connection between werewolves and witches dates back to the witch trials in Medieval times through the Early Modern Period. There were a series of witch trials in Estonia and other northern parts of Europe in which both men and women were accused of witchcraft and the ability of turning into wolves. They were said to attack and kill people in werewolf form. One man named Hans was convicted of witchcraft and lycanthropy, and he admitted to being given this power of shapeshifting by a man in black.

But how do flying witches relate to astral doubles?
If we look back through time at accounts of “flying witches”, there’s a pattern. This pattern has been identified by scholars – witches used psychotropic plants to induce trance. At that point, they were able to “fly” to their sabbath to meet with other witches and their master. This flying might very well have been the separation of their astral doubles, as theorized by Claude Lecouteux. Emma Wilby, a writer and scholar on Scottish witchcraft, also relates the flying witch to the shaman, and their similar abilities to move in and out of their bodies into the other realms.

Shapeshifting via the Astral Double
What about shapeshifters, werewolves and otherwise? How are they related to astral projection and astral doubles? As previously mentioned, astral doubles project themselves into the form of owls or other birds to warn their families of death. So too did the werewolves and shifters of the past use their astral double to travel to other places away from their bodies, either in sleep or trance, meditation or coma/illness. How were these werewolves able to do physical harm to people and places? We may never know, but there are theories that the astral double manifests in the physical plane with a very real physical mass.

Astral Double – Exit and Re-entry
Lecouteux also mentions how an astral double leaves the body as a snake, lizard or mouse through the person’s mouth. And re-enter the body through the mouth. This is why most people claim they can’t astral project if they’re not lying on their backs. Their mouths have to have easy access to let the astral double back inside. We clearly see the relationship between the animals and astral doubles. And how werewolves might have been the astral doubles of shamans, witches or sorcerers.

Witches Brew Recipe For The Witches New Year

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

Upon the coming of Samhain, the Witches New Year, it is tradition to craft a magickal witches brew, essentially a hot mulled wine made with red wine or apple cider, visionary herbs, spices of Samhain and flowers to increase our psychic awareness. As we invite our ancestors to pass through the veil into the world of the living from the spirit world, use as a gracious offering by placing a separate chalice of the beverage on the altar during Samhain ritual. The wine is perfect used as a sacred libation (to be poured upon the earth) to honor ancestral spirits.

The wine is traditionally brewed with:

Allspice – Clove – Orange Peel – Anise Stars – Cinnamon Sticks – Red Wine or Apple Cider – Vodka, Rum or Brandy – Fresh Oranges & Orange Peel – Fresh Apples – Pomegranate Juice

Herbs and flowers that are optional include adding very small amounts of Elderberry, Mugwort, Lavender and/or Calendula flowers. Elderberry and Mugwort should be used in very very small amounts. Mugwort (Artemisia Vulgaris) is a very powerful visionary herb and should be used with extreme caution when taken internally. Also, Mugwort should never be taken when pregnant.

Fresh fruits are always traditionally added to the brew. Apples are sacred to witches and have been used in spells and rituals since ancient times. As we invite our ancestors to pass thru the veil, apples serve as a food offering for nourishment aiding our ancestral spirits safe travel as they pass through the veil between the worldly realms.

Prepare fresh apple slices and orange slices which can be shaped into stars/pentacles or crescent moons. Twist orange peels into spirals and incorporate as garnish.

Directions:

In a large pot on the stove:

1 quart Burgundy, Port Wine, or red wine of your liking, or 1 quart Apple Cider, Cranberry or fruit juice

1 Witches Brew Muslin Bag with 1/2 ounce of Samhain Witches Brew including cinnamon stick(s). If you are adding other ingredients, place those herbs in a muslin bag or strain after brewing. The Samhain Brew is essentially a blend of the herbs, spices & flowers listed above. Check your herb cabinet!

1/8 cup of sugar/brown sugar or to taste

Place muslin bag of Witches Brew into wine/cider and heat to just below boiling point. Reduce heat, cover pot and simmer on low for thirty minutes to one hour

Add 1 ounce (or more to taste) of Vodka, Rum or Brandy. You can also opt to add an ounce or two of Pomegranate juice, a symbolic offering traditional at Samhain

Simmer until the desired taste is reached

Garnish with apple slices, orange slices, orange spirals, anise and cinnamon sticks

As we prepare our sacred altars on this most important night of the year, Samhain, brew up a pot of Witches Brew with White Magick Alchemy’s Witches Brew, blended especially for Samhain.

Use Witches Brew to add the essence of Samhain to your sacred space too! To use as an aromatic home brew, fill a cauldron or simmering pot with about 2 cups of water. Add the contents of the Witches Brew bag into the water and simmer on low heat. If simmering for a longer period of time, make sure to add more water to the mix

Pagan Prayers for the Samhain Sabbat

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

Looking for prayers to celebrate the Pagan sabbat of Samhain? Try some of these, which honor the ancestors and celebrate the end of the harvest and the cycle of life, death and rebirth. Feel free to adapt them as needed, to fit the specifics of your own tradition and belief system.

A Prayer For the Final Harvest

This prayer honors the end of the harvest, and the dying of the earth, at the Samhain season. Take a few moments to honor the agricultural cycle, and the importance that the earth’s bounty has in our day to day lives.

Harvest Prayer

Corn has been shucked,
grain has been threshed,
herbs have been hung to dry.
Grapes have been pressed,
potatoes have been dug,
beans have been shelled and canned.
It is the harvest season,
and food is ready for winter.
We will eat, and we will live,
and we will be grateful.

Kids’ Samhain Prayer

Looking for a simple and fun prayer your kids can say at Samhain? This quick prayer thanks the ancestors, and affirms that Samhain isn’t really a night to be fearful at all. Try this easy, rhyming children’s prayer for Samhain.

Kids’ Samhain Prayer

Samhain is here, cold is the earth,
as we celebrate the cycle of death and rebirth.
Tonight we speak to those through the veil,
the lines between worlds are thin and frail.

Ghosts and spirits in the night,
magical beings rising in flight,
owls hooting up in a moonlit tree,
I don’t fear you and you don’t fear me.

As the sun goes down, far to the west,
my ancestors watch over me as I rest.
They keep me safe and without fear,
on the night of Samhain, the Witches’ New Year.

Ancestor Prayer for Samhain

Many people choose to use Samhain as a time of honoring their bloodline. Use this prayer to celebrate your ancestry at Samhain. You can incorporate it into a meditation or ritual, or simply offer it up as thanks to those who came before you.

Samhain Ancestor Prayer

This is the night when the gateway between
our world and the spirit world is thinnest.
Tonight is a night to call out those who came before.
Tonight I honor my ancestors.
Spirits of my fathers and mothers, I call to you,
and welcome you to join me for this night.
You watch over me always,
protecting and guiding me,
and tonight I thank you.
Your blood runs in my veins,
your spirit is in my heart,
your memories are in my soul.

[If you wish, you may want to recite your genealogy here. This can include both your blood family, and your spiritual one.]

With the gift of remembrance.
I remember all of you.
You are dead but never forgotten,
and you live on within me,
and within those who are yet to come.

Samhain Prayer to the Gods of the Underworld

At Samhain, the earth is growing cold and dark. It is a time of death, of endings and beginnings. This prayer honors some of the deities associated with death and the underworld.

Prayer to the Gods of the Underworld

The harvest has ended, and the fields are bare.
The earth has grown cold, and the land is empty.
The gods of the death are lingering over us,
keeping a watchful eye upon the living.
They wait, patiently, for eternity is theirs.

Hail to you, Anubis! O jackal headed one,
guardian of the realm of the dead.
When my time comes, I hope
you may deem me worthy.

Hail to you, Demeter! O mother of darkness,
May your grief be abated
when your daughter returns once more.

Hail to you, Hecate! O keeper of the gate,
between this world and the underworld.
I ask that when I cross over,
you may guide me with wisdom.

Hail to you, Freya! O mistress of Folkvangr,
guardian of those who fall in battle.
Keep the souls of my ancestors with you.

Hail to you, O gods and goddesses,
those of you who guard the underworld
and guide the dead on their final journey.
At this time of cold and dark,
I honor you, and ask that you watch over me,
and protect me when the day arrives
that I take my final journey.

Samhain Ritual for the Beginner Witch

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

Samhain, the final harvest festival of the year, marks the Witches New Year. The veil between worlds is at its thinnest, making this a good time to contact passed loved ones and do some divination. Samhain is often celebrated by honoring ancestors and loved ones who have passed. It is common to light a candle and place it in a West facing window to guide the souls of loved ones back home and to set places at the table for passed loved ones for the Samhain feast, also known as a Dumb Supper.
The tradition of pumpkin carving began with carving sigils and protective symbols into pumpkins, or turnips if pumpkins were unavailable in the region, to ward off any evil spirits that may have been lurking in the shadows. It was also thought that by dressing up in costume and building a bonfire, one could scare away evil spirits. During Samhain, it was customary to hand out treats in exchange for prayers and blessings for loved ones who had passed.

Listed below are some correspondences for Samhain that you can use to decorate your altar.

Colors: Black, Orange, Red, Purple

Incense/Plants: Sandalwood, Sweetgrass, Wormwood, Patchouli, Mugwort, Sage, Myrrh

Elements: Water, Earth

Symbols/Decorations: Apples, autumn flowers, acorns, bat, black cat, bones, corn stalks, colored leaves (particularly oak), crows, crystal ball, ghosts, gourds, jack-o-lantern/pumpkins, nuts, pomegranates, scarecrows, scythes.
You can also place pictures of loved ones who have passed on your altar as this is a time to honor and remember them.

Samhain Ritual
There are a plethora of different ways to celebrate Samhain. Below is just one example of a ritual that you could perform to celebrate. Feel free to edit this ritual to better suit your needs.

Cleanse area of negative energies
Cast your Circle
Call the Quarters
Invite the God and Goddess (or Deity(ies) of your choosing)
Take as long as you want to remember the loved ones you have lost. Think of the good times you had together and how much you love them. If you are in a group, take turns sharing your stories and memories.
You can write a blessing for your loved ones. Here is one that I wrote for my loved ones who had recently passed.(Loved One’s Name), my dear friend,
Your time on this Earthly plane has come to an end.
Although I miss you and being with you is my greatest wish,
I know I must let you go; I mustn’t be selfish.
May you find peace in the Summerlands.
May all troubles be out of your hands.
May you always be safe, healthy and happy,
And know that you will always be with me.
Forever will you be in my heart,
Never will our souls truly part.
I love you, my dearest friend.
I cannot wait til we meet again.

Cakes and Ale
Thank the God and Goddess (Or Deity(ies) of your choosing)
Thank the Quarters
Release the Circle
Ground
You can finish off the night with a Dumb Supper. Set places at the table for all loved ones, here and gone. Many people will make their loved ones’ favorite dishes for their feast, so they can enjoy them once again on this special night.
I hope you enjoy this ritual. Have a blessed Samhain! 

Ancestor Altar: How to Create Sacred Space for Your Ancestors

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

If you’re beginning to develop a relationship with your ancestors, setting up an ancestor altar is essential. It gives you a place to connect on a regular basis. It serves as a reminder that your ancestors are present. Learn how to set up your ancestor altar here with our step-by-step process. And how to maintain it.

How To Set Up Your Ancestor Altar: Step by Step
Don’t worry about what altars look like online. Don’t even worry about what altars look like in your mind. When you first set up your ancestor altar, focus on the energy you put into it. Yours will be unique from the rest…because it is yours. And your ancestors will be happy to have a physical place to visit.

1. Decide on a Surface
First, decide where to put your altar. I highly recommend that it’s not in your bedroom. But maybe in your living, dining room or kitchen. Ancestors don’t want to see what you do in your private time. Next, choose a surface of a table, buffet, shelf, counter, etc. that will be used solely for the purpose of honoring your ancestors. This means nothing else will be set on top of it. No phones, remotes, computers, TVs, appliances, etc. A wall shelf, empty book shelf, or small accent table is great.

2. Gather Your Tools and Supplies For Your Ancestor Altar
Next, decide what you want on your ancestor altar. A few basic recommendations: a photo(s) of your ancestors, heirlooms, a cup and bowl for offerings, incense and incense burner, candles and candle holders, and seasonal decorations (optional). If you don’t have photos of your ancestors, things that represent them and link you to their energy work great. Heirlooms are helpful for this. What if you don’t have any heirlooms either? A map of their homeland, photos of historical markers, etc. all work well in place of personal photos.

3. Cleansing
Once you’ve decided on a surface and gathered your supplies, it’s time to cleanse. There are different methods of cleansing your altar, including smoke-cleansing, asperging, or simply wiping the surface and tools with a cloth. If you choose to wipe them down, use a little lemon juice mixed into water. As you cleanse, visualize white light from above illuminating the altar surface and each item.

4. Set Up
Next, it’s time to set your ancestor altar up. The set-up is entirely up to you. In certain traditions and religions like Wicca, there may be a set pattern to follow; however, if you’re solitary and doing this on your own – set it up how you like! I prefer to keep my ancestors at the forefront and make their photos the central focus, then I build around that. I also like to add seasonal decor: eggs and bunnies for Spring, flowers for Summer, sunflowers and pumpkins for Fall, and Christmas decor for Winter. Don’t forget – invite your ancestors to this space!

5. Provide Offerings
The first time you set up your ancestor altar, provide offerings and invite your ancestors to this sacred space. Offerings include: a fresh cup of water, flowers, incense, candle flame, drinks like wine and coffee, fruit, and food in general. Over time, your ancestors will begin to tell you what offerings they prefer and what they don’t. Trust me, you’ll hear their voices soon.

Ancestor Altar
You have your ancestor altar set up, but now what? Use your altar as a physical, tangible place where you speak to your ancestors. Speak out loud or in your mind, it doesn’t matter. Also provide regular offerings. Some people give daily offerings. I provide weekly offerings. While others might only give once every other week. Other offerings to ancestors include handmade items, poetry, song, artwork, and just about anything you’re moved to offer them.

Let your altar be a place that inspires you. When you feel sad, ill, or in need, stand at your ancestor altar and call on your ancestors. Knock three times and call out their names (if you know the names). Light a candle and tell them it’s in their honor.

Don’t forget to cleanse your ancestor altar every once in awhile. I prefer to clean and cleanse mine once a month – usually on the New Moon. I take everything off, dust the altar and my supplies, then cleanse using smoke or blessed water/spray. After I set everything back on, I invite my ancestors presence back to the space.

Jack O’ Lantern

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan


Oh, he be a beast of a little man. Why that stingy old Jack O’ Lantern. Forever he shall be a lost soul as he wanders the realms of no mans lands.
🍂Neither heaven nor hell will let him in. Why, even the faery folk they turned him away. O, he thought he could fool the devil and a fool he be to think so.
🍂O, here he be
There he be
Wandering free
O, here he be
There he be
Looking for thee
O, here he be
There he be
Trouble is he
O, here he be
There he be
Just wait and see🍂
O’er All Hallows Eve, they do say that wicked old Jack wanders the land, looking for trouble.
🍂Many, many a year ago in Ireland, upon All Hallows’Eve it was tradition to carve out ugly faces onto lumpy old turnips or potatoes and place them onto the window sills as the darkness did fall. Many believing that this would frighten off old Jack or any other mischievous spirits wandering around.
And, as the years have gone by the tradition has travelled near and far to other countries where pumpkins are used instead of turnips

PÊLEN TÂN

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

Once Halloween has passed, it will be a good time to gather supplies for the construction of the PÊLEN TÂN so that it is ready for the Winter Solstice.

“The old Welsh translation of the term PELEN TAN, is ‘fire globe’, which is a precise description of its construct. Literally, these were hand-blown spheres of deep blue (occasionally green) glass, varying in size from that of a human head, to a basketball. At their top was a round hole, just large enough to reach down into and light a candle positioned at the bottom. A knotted network of leather cord or rope then provided a means of suspending the orb from the hand, or more commonly, from the branches of trees.”
“In today’s high-tech world, Cobalt Light has again attained widespread use through the medium of black-light posters, and other psychedelic toys for entertainment. But to the Druids, this special blue light was a religious tool ~ a THRESHOLD DEVICE for thinning the barriers between this world, and the Otherworld. And to this end, the Pêlen Tân remains a powerful aid “
“They can be constructed in various creative ways, ranging from a large glass canning jar, to an actual round globe ~ perhaps a modification of a round glass Lighting Fixture as is commonly found in supply houses. Once you have located the clear base, it will be necessary to obtain BLUE GLASS STAIN from any good hobby shop. (Be certain that it is a rich, dark type of blue, and not a lighter, sky-blue shade). Paint it on THE OUTSIDE of your glass with a good quality brush to avoid streaking; several coats may be necessary. Next obtain an amount of thick twine, rope, leather, or even thin chain, and go about weaving a ‘hanging basket’ style support system around your PELEN TAN. When finished, it should be able to be carried with ease, and not in danger of ‘slipping out’ of the weave-work. Lastly, a Black Candle need be positioned inside.”
Douglas Monroe