Angelica Tea

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

The angelica plant is one of the most highly regarded herbs. Steeped in legend and valued for its many medicinal properties, angelica has been used for the past 2,000 years. Many magickal claims for this herb have persisted through the years – protection from the poisons and the spells of witches – is now just folklore. Today, herbalists recommend other, more viable uses for the herb, such as for treating indigestion, fatigue insomnia and tension. There are many species of the herb. Angelica archangelica is the one used most in Western medicine. Its properties promote digestion, eliminate bloating and relieve cramps. In addition, nervous stomach complaints respond very well to it. Furthermore, angelica tea can stimulate the functions of the gallbladder, the liver, and the pancreas. It increases stamina, strengthens the entire body and may help prevent disease, as well.

Preparation of the Tea

Add 2 tsp. of angelica root to 1 cup of cold water and bring to a boil under low heat. Boil briefly, and then remove from heat; steep for 5-10 minutes and strain. Keep the pot covered while you are steeping the tea, so that the essential oils are retained. Drink 1 cup of angelica tea 3 times a day, about 30 minutes before meals. You can sweeten the tea with honey, if desired.

Therapeutic Effect: Antibacterial pinene is a main component of angelica root’s essential oil. The herb also contains bitters, tannins, resins, coumarins, pectin and sugar. The whole plant – the roots, stems and seeds – is a warming expectorant useful for asthma and bronchitis. Angelica also has antiseptic and diuretics properties, which can help treat urinary-tract infections.

For Bloating: Angelica tea relieves feelings for fullness and bloating, especially after large meals. When poor digestion, swallowing air while eating, eating too quickly or poor food choices causes gas build-up, angelica tea can help to alleviate these uncomfortable symptoms, strengthening normal digestive functions at the same time.

For Mood Lifting: Drinking angelica tea may enhance your mood, lift depression and improve general malaise. It also relieves nerve-related digestive problems and insomnia due to tension and anxiety.

A Little Lore: Angelica is believed to have gained its name from a legend that dates back to 1665, the year of the Great Plague. An angel appeared to a monk and revealed the many medicinal properties of the plant, claiming it could end the dreaded epidemic.

Take Care! The furocoumarins in angelica make the skin sensitive to sun and can cause irritation. If you have a reaction, avoid sun exposure while drinking angelica tea.

Healing Tea Mixtures

For Nervous Stomach

2 tsp. angelica root

2 tsp. lemon-balm leaves

1/2 tsp fennel seed

Bring angelica to a simmer in 4 cups of water. Turn off heat; add the lemon balm and fennel. Steep for 10 minutes and strain. Drink 2-3 times a day to relieve indigestions due to nervousness, anxiety and irritability.

For Poor Appetite

1 tsp. gentian root

2 tsp. angelica root

1 tsp. chamomile flowers

1/2 tsp. centaury

1/2 tsp. aniseed

Simmer the gentian lightly in 5 cups water for about 5 minutes; add the other herbs and steep for 10 minutes. Drink1/2 cup before meals to stimulate digestive juices.

For General Malaise

2 tsp. angelica root

1 tsp. ginseng root

1 tsp. dandelion root and leaves

1 tsp. nettles

Simmer the herbs lightly for 10 minutes in 5 cups of water. Remove from heat and steep for 10 minutes; strain. Drink 2 mineral-rich cups a day to help increase stamina and improve liver function.

Medicinal Uses

For Bronchitis with Congestion: If the respiratory passages are severely congested, an herbal tea made with equal parts angelica root and thyme leaves can help. These expectorants will help relieve congestion. For the most benefits, drink 2-3 cups a day, sweetened with honey if desired.

For a Nervous Stomach:Trouble and stress frequently affect the stomach and often result in feelings of pressure and fullness, as well as mouth odor and belching. For a period of 2-3 weeks, drink 1 cup of the unsweetened angelica-blend tea (below) 3 times a day.

Caution: Do not use angelica is you have stomach ulcers.

For Listlessness and Fatigue: Chronic pain and stress often saps strength and can lead to exhaustion. To help combat this effect, drink 2-3 cups of angelica tea daily for 3-4 weeks to lift your spirits and relieve malaise.

Crafting Ritual/Ceremonial Candles

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

Crafting Ritual/Ceremonial Candles

Ritual Candles are a form of symbolism used within the circle while

summoning the elements and guardians therein. Each is created with the

symbols of a specific element in mind, and charged with the entities of

that element. It is important to remember that all of the elements are

of the Goddess and the God, as they are of everything, and before

charging each candle should be concentrated and dedicated to the Lord

and Lady.

While candles are used in virtually every tradition of Wicca, usually

they are not assigned to be such symbolic tools. However, a

ritual/ceremonial candle can be as powerful of a ritual tool as the

Athame, Pinnacle, and Cauldron if so desired.

A benefit of working so intently upon a ritual candle, is first and

foremost – The more time you spend working with a tool, the more

attuned it will be with you and your energies and vice versa. Secondly,

after crafting is completed, you can take some well-earned pride in the

magnificent tool you have crafted for the Lord and Lady.

As you are crafting your ritual candles take some time to look at

yourself, your life, and all the aspects of the two. Contemplate on the

will of the Universe and the God and Goddess. Search your heart for

guidance, and utilize the time for productive meditation.

Thin Paintbrush

Four (4) Small Black Plates/Saucers

Candles: Red, Blue, Yellow, Green and Black

Enamel Paints: Black, White, Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green (All Natural

Paints if possible) Optional Gemstones: Quartz Crystal, Topaz, Amethyst,

Rock Crystal, and Ruby or Jasper

Note: I suggest using a thick, broad based candle, one that usually

burns the inner part of the candle, leaving the outer shell in tact.

This way the symbolism of your crafted candle will be maintained while

the candle is in use. Also, a smooth texture will help with symbolism

to be painted on candles.

Using the Thin Paintbrush, paint the corresponding astrological symbols

repeatedly around the base of the candles and decorative spiritual and

lunar symbols upon the face of the candle:

Crafting the Candle of Earth:

Around the base of the Green Candle (using Black Enamel Paint) paint

the astrological symbols for Taurus(n), Virgo(r), and Capricorn(v) & on

the face of the candle paint the name Ghob, the silhouette of a gnome

or dwarf and the symbol of a waning moon(C). Also, if a Rock Crystal is

available, inset it below the symbol of the moon.

Charging the Candle of Earth:

Be sure to meditate and ground yourself and then consecrate and

dedicate the tool to the Goddess and the God before charging (an

example of a dedication ritual is included at the end of this document).

After crafting your Candle of Earth, it is time to charge it with the

element and the entities therein. Sit in a peaceful place where you

will not be disturbed. Using your sword or wand, starting at the east

draw circle around yourself three times in a counter-clockwise

direction and envision a trail of bluish-white light remaining where

you’ve traced the tip of your sword or wand, the trail becoming

brighter with each pass. Take a moment to realize that all negativity

has been banished and cannot exist within your circle, and that only

positive and creative energy remains. Turn your body so that you are

facing east and while holding the candle in both hands, raise it

skyward, and mote the following:

“Element of Earth, keeper of the East Wind

Ghob, ruler of those within, thy power send.”

Place the candle upon the plate along with a corresponding offering of

invitation (perhaps a palm of dirt from a place that holds significant

personal meaning to you) and light the candle before saying the

following:

“Wisdom of age and bearer of winter,

energies of abundance and prosperity,

welcomed into my circles – thee may enter,

as I offer this candle as an alter and thy key.”

This charging ritual invites the element of Earth, and all the positive

and creative entities and energies of the element into your circle, and

motes that those energies are welcomed into all of your circles when

you light the candle during ritual work.

After you invite and mote your intention to the element of Earth, thank

Ghob and the entities and energies within the element and mote that you

are ending this part of the ritual as you snuff the candles flame.

Crafting the Candle of Fire:

Around the base of the Red Candle (using Black Enamel Paint) paint the

astrological symbols for Leo(q), Sagittarius(u), and Aries(m) & on the

face of the candle paint the name Djin, the silhouette of a salamander

or small dragon and the symbol of a waxing moon (E). Also, if a Ruby or

Jasper is available, inset it below the symbol of the moon.

Charging the Candle of Fire:

Be sure to meditate and ground yourself and then consecrate and

dedicate the tool to the Goddess and the God before charging (an

example of a dedication ritual is included at the end of this document).

After crafting your Candle of Fire, it is time to charge it with the

element and the entities therein. Sit in a peaceful place where you

will not be disturbed. Using your sword or wand, starting at the east

draw circle around yourself three times in a counter-clockwise

direction and envision a trail of bluish-white light remaining where

you’ve traced the tip of your sword or wand, the trail becoming

brighter with each pass. Take a moment to realize that all negativity

has been banished and cannot exist within your circle, and that only

positive and creative energy remains. Turn your body so that you are

facing south and while holding the candle in both hands, raise it

skyward, and mote the following:

“Element of Fire, keeper of the South Wind

Djjin, ruler of those within, thy power send.”

Place the candle upon the plate along with a corresponding offering of

invitation (perhaps write a very personal experience that holds much

meaning for you and changed your life in a positive way on a small

piece of paper and burn it upon the plate) and light the candle before

saying the following:

“Curiosity of youth and bearer of the summer sun,

energies of passion and sexuality,

into my circles ye are welcomed, changing one,

as I offer this candle as an alter and thy key.”

This charging ritual invites the element of Fire, and all the positive

and creative entities and energies of the element into your circle, and

motes that those energies are welcomed into all of your circles when you

light the candle during ritual work.

After you invite and mote your intention to the element of Fire, thank

Djjin and the entities and energies within the element and mote that you

are ending this part of the ritual as you snuff the candles flame.

Crafting the Candle of Water: Receptive Feminine Energy (absorption and

germination)

Around the base of the Blue Candle (using Black Enamel Paint) paint the

astrological symbols for Scorpio(t), Pisces(x), and Cancer(p) & on the

face of the candle paint the name Niska and the silhouette of a nymph or

mermaid and the symbol of a full moon (A). Also, if an Amethyst is

available, inset it below the symbol of the moon.

Charging the Candle of Water:

Be sure to meditate and ground yourself and then consecrate and dedicate

the tool to the Goddess and the God before charging (an example of a

dedication ritual is included at the end of this document). After

crafting your Candle of Water, it is time to charge it with the element

and the entities therein. Sit in a peaceful place where you will not be

disturbed. Using your sword or wand, starting at the east draw circle

around yourself three times in a counter-clockwise direction and

envision a trail of bluish-white light remaining where you’ve traced the

tip of your sword or wand, the trail becoming brighter with each pass.

Take a moment to realize that all negativity has been banished and

cannot exist within your circle, and that only positive and creative

energy remains. Turn your body so that you are facing west and while

holding the candle in both hands, raise it skyward, and mote the

following:

“Element of Water, keeper of the West Wind

Niska, ruler of those within, thy power send.”

Place the candle upon the plate along with a corresponding offering of

invitation (perhaps a sprinkling of water from a bowl of water you have

sipped from while remembering something or someone that has great

meaning and makes you very happy) and light the candle before saying the

following:

“Knowledge of maturity and bearer of the autumn leaves

energies of absorption, germination and fertility,

within my circle ye are welcomed to be,

as I offer this candle as an alter and thy key.”

This charging ritual invites the element of Water, and all the positive

and creative entities and energies of the element into your circle, and

motes that those energies are welcomed into all of your circles when you

light the candle during ritual work.

After you invite and mote your intention to the element of Water, thank

Niska and the entities and energies within the element and mote that you

are ending this part of the ritual as you snuff the candles flame.

Crafting the Candle of Air: Projective Masculine (Instruction, Freedom,

and Obtaining Knowledge) Around the base of the Yellow Candle (using

Black Enamel Paint) paint the astrological symbols for Aquarius(w),

Libra(s), and Gemini(o) & on the face of the candle paint the name

Paralda, the silhouette of a fairy or sylph and the symbol of a new

moon(D). Also, if a Topaz is available, inset it below the symbol of the

moon.

Charging the Candle of Air:

Be sure to meditate and ground yourself and then consecrate and dedicate

the tool to the Goddess and the God before charging (an example of a

dedication ritual is included at the end of this document). After

crafting your Candle of Air, it is time to charge it with the element

and the entities therein. Sit in a peaceful place where you will not be

disturbed. Using your sword or wand, starting at the east draw circle

around yourself three times in a counter-clockwise direction and

envision a trail of bluish-white light remaining where you’ve traced the

tip of your sword or wand, the trail becoming brighter with each pass.

Take a moment to realize that all negativity has been banished and

cannot exist within your circle, and that only positive and creative

energy remains. Turn your body so that you are facing north and while

holding the candle in both hands, raise it skyward, and mote the

following:

“Element of Air, keeper of the North Wind

Paralda, ruler of those within, thy power send.”

Place the candle upon the plate along with a corresponding offering of

invitation (perhaps a palm of dirt from a place that holds significant

personal meaning to you) and light the candle before saying the

following:

“Beginning of all things new, bearer of spring time and life energies of

freedom, knowledge and purity, ye are welcomed into my circles without

strife, as I offer this candle as an alter and thy key.”

This charging ritual invites the element of Air, and all the positive

and creative entities and energies of the element into your circle, and

motes that those energies are welcomed into all of your circles when you

light the candle during ritual work.

After you invite and mote your intention to the element of Air, thank

Paralda and the entities and energies within the element and mote that

you are ending this part of the ritual as you snuff the candles flame.

Crafting the Candle of Spirit:

Around the base of the Black Candle paint the symbols for the four

phases of the moon (CEAD). Upon the face of the Black Candle (using

White Enamel Paint) paint a pentagram and the silhouette of a stag, and

if so desired, around the upper mid section or rim of the candle, paint

the Wiccan rede “An it harm none, do as ye will.”

The Candle of Spirit is not charged with an element, rather charged

during dedication for guidance and purity of heart. It is a constant

remainder in the circle of the wiccan rede and proclamation that the

intent of all actions within the circle is positive and within the law.

The black plates/saucers are to set the candles upon during ritual.

Also, they may be used to place offerings or items of power such as

herbs, gems, salts or incense to the corresponding element during

certain rituals. These can be left blank and placed under the candles at

the time of ceremony, or they can be decorated and symbolize each of the

elements – This can be done by using the White Enamel Paint and painting

the symbolism of the specific element onto the surface of the plate and

painting the rim of the plate the corresponding color for that element.

Note: The charging of candles may be done several in one ritual, or all

in one ritual should you create them all before charging. It is

suggested to charge them in order counter clockwise from the east. Also,

it is important to remember that after dedicated and charged that the

candles are no longer “yours” they are tools bestowed upon you by the

Lord and Lady, and a beacon and key into your circle for the element

they are charged with.

Using Ritual Candles In Your Circle:

During ritual work in your circles a compass is used to determine the

directions and then you set the candles upon small the black plates

accordingly as follows and in this order: Green(Earth)/East,

Red(Fire)/South, Blue(Water)/West, Yellow(Air)/North. As each candle is

set down and lit, summon the element into your circle with a mote (This

first mote of each charging ritual would be acceptable).

The Black(Spirit) Candle is symbolic of everything, and is not used in

the magickal work, but rather in invoking the Lord and Lady and will be

kept within the inner circle. Also the entire ritual/ceremony is of

spirit, and therefore it needs no plate for offerings or tools of power.

It is a constant remainder in the circle of the wiccan rede and

proclamation that the intent of all actions within the circle is

positive and within the law.

Consecrating & Dedicating Ceremony for Ritual Candles:

Be sure to meditate and ground yourself before performing the ceremony.

Sit in a peaceful place where you will not be disturbed. Place the

candle on a black cloth, and your other ceremony materials around the

cloth. In the air, just above the candle, trace a pentagram with your

index finger and envision the tip of your finger leaving a trail of

bluish-white light, as if actually drawing it in the air. When the

pentagram is finished mote the following:

“Maiden Goddess, energy of youth and curiosity

I ask that you concentrate this candle with your purity.

Mother Goddess, energy of maturity and protection,

I ask your watchful eye upon this tool to be.

Crone Goddess, energy of age and ancient wisdom,

I ask that you guide this tool so that I may see.

Horned God, energy of strength and will,

I ask that with this tool you guide the law through me.”

Place your hand over the candle and envision the purity, wisdom,

protection and strength of the lord and lady pouring from within you and

encompassing the candle and say the following while doing so:

“Oh, Goddess of the Moon and Magick,

And God of the Sun and Forest,

I dedicate this tool to your will and wisdom,

Let it be source of no curse, no harm and no hate

So moted, so shall it be!”

You have now dedicated the candle to the Lord and Lady, and consecrated

and purified it with their energies. The candle is no longer yours, but

rather theirs, and you are allowed to use it as a tool of ritual

workings as long as it is done without the intent of harm, negativity,

or hatred. As with all spell crafting rituals, if you are not completely

sure of your intent, meditate and ask for guidance from the goddess. If

you listen, she will answer.

Notes on Crafting Ritual/Ceremonial Candles: For clarification purposes,

these notes have been added. The shapes of the candles suggested are

wide, cylindrical and tall. The base of the candle, as stated in this

article, means the rim around the part of the candle that touches the

table, it does not mean the actual bottom of the candle. The face of the

candle, as stated in the article, means the side of a candle, more

specifically, the side of the candle that faces you when inside a

circle.

Ritual Soap Spheres

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

Using a very sharp, thick-bladed knife, cut a four-ounce bar of castile soap into very small pieces no larger than 1/4 inch square-the smaller (as long as they are cubes) the better. Place these in a heatproof nonmetallic container. Heat slightly less than 1/3 cup water until nearly boiling. Pour the still-hot water over the cut up soap. Let it sit until the water has cooled sufficiently to allow you to handle it. Mix the soap and water with your hands. This will moisten the soap chips, but they shouldn’t be floating on the surface of the water. If they are, add more soap.

Let the soap and water sit for about nine minutes until mushy. If the soap cubes are still hard, set the bowl in a pan of water and reheat it gently until the soap is soft. While the soap is melting, mix together the oils and empower them with your magickal need. Then add 20-50 drops of the combined oils to the soap/water mixture. Very warm water evaporates the oils, so wait until the water has cooled. Mix them in thoroughly. The scent should be strong; if not, add more oils.

The quality and strength of the oils you use determines the quantity needed to overpower the natural, rather antiseptic scent of genuine castile soap. Just add them until you can smell the oils. Divide the scented soap mass into three or four parts. Form these into spheres with your hands. Place each on a nine inch square piece of cotton cheesecloth. Pull the ends tightly around the sphere. Tie the ends closed with strong string. Repeat with each sphere.

Hang the soap spheres in a warm place for three days, or until the soap is completely hard. When the spheres won’t give to finger pressure, remove the cloth wraps. The soaps are ready to be used in ritual baths. Or, they can be wrapped in clean cheesecloth, labelled, and given as gifts.

Isis Soap

3 parts Myrrh 2 parts Frankincense

1 part Lotus Bouquet

Use before any Egyptian or Isian ritual. Also, wash with this soap to develop spiritual awareness. If you wish, substitute rose water for the water in which the soap chips are melted.

Love Soap

4 parts Geranium 3 parts Palmarosa 2 parts Neroli 1 part Ginger

Wash with this soap to attract love, or prior to love rituals. And again, rose water may be used in the same proportions as plain water in preparing the soap.

Luck Soap

2 parts Vetivert 1 part Orange 1 part Nutmeg

Wash to change your “luck” or to bring positive energies into your life. Orange flower water may be used in place of plain water during soap manipulations.

Money Soap

3 parts Patchouly 2 parts Peppermint 1 part Basil

1 part Pine 1 part Cinnamon

Wash your hands daily with this soap to attract money, or use prior to money-drawing rituals.

Moon Soap

3 parts Sandalwood 2 parts Camphor 1 part Eucalyptus 1 part Lemon

Use before rituals on the Full Moon to attune with its energies.

Protection Soap

4 parts Rosemary 3 parts Basil 1 part Frankincense

1 part Bay 1 part Mint

Wash daily with this soap when you feel the need for protection, or before such spells.

Psychic Soap

3 parts Lemongrass 2 parts Bay 1 part Cinnamon

Wash with this soap to increase your psychic awareness, especially prior to divinatory or psychic workings.

Sabbat Soap

4 parts Sandalwood 3 parts Rosemary 2 parts Patchouly 1 part Cinnamon

1 part Myrrh 1 part Bay 1 part Lemon 1 part Ginger

Use during ritual baths prior to the Sabbats or as a general magickal cleanser.

Witch’s Soap

3 parts Rosemary 2 parts Pine 1 part Cinnamon 1 part Orange

Wash with this soap before rituals of all kinds to increase your personal power.

The Magick of Incense ~ Using Scents for Pagan Rituals

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

The various properties of incense and it’s importance in Pagan spiritual work.

Throughout the long history of Pagan spirituality, incense has been used as a valuable tool in ritual work. Incense is symbolic of the element Air and assists in opening the doorway to the spiritual realm. In times long ago people would burn sweet-smelling herbs and wood to purify and cleanse their homes or the areas where they performed ritual magick. The ancient Egyptians were known for their abilities to blend and produce high-quality incense used for rituals. A particular type of Egyptian incense known as Khyphi is still available today and requires the finest of ingredients to produce.

There are many forms of incense that are in use today such as granular, cone and joss-sticks. Joss-sticks are one of the most common forms of incense and originally came from India. They are the best form of incense to use for short rituals but for longer rituals it’s best to use granular or cone incense.

Granular incense is commonly burned on a charcoal disc which is lit and placed in an incense burner. The incense is then piled on top of the charcoal disc and begins to burn and release its fragrance.

Many people make their own incense with herbs and essential oils that correspond with whatever ritual work they may be doing. Thought and care should be used when doing this and the use of your intuition can also guide you in making an incense that is best for your ritual. Dedication of the incense is also helpful and can be done by simply saying, “I dedicate this incense for the use of” and then name the ritual in which it will be used.

The following is a list of incense fragrances and their properties that can be used in assistance of your magickal work.

Sandalwood

This is a very calming scent and can assist with the contact of divine spirits. It helps to strengthen conviction and to have a calm and focused center.

Lavender

Cleansing and protecting, lavender also helps to bring healing and symbolizes the protection of Mother Earth. It helps to clear and strengthen auras and releases negative emotions.

Frankincense

Cleanses negative influences and helps to bring wisdom. A very universal fragrance, it helps the spirit to adapt to different energies.

Cinnamon

Symbolizes love and fire. It has the power to bring happiness and banish negativity and sadness.

Jasmine

Brings greater understanding of spirit and helps us to find our true potential. Provides sanctuary and protection.

Rosemary

Opens the spirit and brings greater wisdom and understanding. Cleanses auras and helps to build greater confidence.

Ylang Ylang

Balances the spirit and helps to achieve more balanced manifestation. Sensual, invigorating and calming.

When storing incense, be sure to keep it in a cool place out of direct sunlight or bright lighting. By using incense in your spellwork, rituals or meditations, you can achieve a greater connection with deity and have a calmer and more awakened spirit.

Dream Pillow for Protection

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

1 part Rosemary

1 part Lavendar Petals

1 part Rose Petals, red, pink or white

1 part Catnip

2 drops lemon oil

1 part Lemon Basil

1 part Violet Petals

1 part Sweet Grass

Ashes from 3 sticks of Lavendar incense

Gather your herbs preferably straight from nature. If not, buying them already dried is ok, too. Dry them. When you have all of your herbs gathered and dried, toss them together in a bowel with a wooden spoon. Make sure that the lemon oil is totally mixed in with the herbs. As you’re

mixing the herbs, chant:

“Oh Great Goddess from up above,

Fill my pillow with your power of love,

So that in sleep I have nothing to fear.

Let only good dreams reside in here!

So mote it be.”

Sew up a pillow from fabric that you like, preferably either blue or purple, but choose whatevergoes with your room. As you’re sewing the pillow up, burn the insence and think about what you want your pillow to do for you. Leave one side open so you can put the herbs in. Sew an inner pillow up so you can put the herbs in without any of them falling out and littering on your bed. Put the herbs into the inner pillow and sew up the remaining edge. Put the inner pillow into the outter pillow. There should be room left over, and if there is, stuff some cotton stuffing around the inner pillow. If not, then just sew up the remaining edge. Place the pillow wherever you sleep at.

Basil in Magick

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

Basil:

Type: Herb

Ruling Planet: Mars

Ruling Element: Fire

Parts used: leaves (fresh or dried)

Magickal Properties: Protection, love, money.

Specific Magick: Add to a spell bag to bring in money. Basil attracts money and brings good luck into a home. Add to exorcism and protection incenses. Add to love and prosperity sachets. Basil brings compassion and helps end feuds between people. This herb also has strong love vibrations, and is used in spells to mend lovers’ quarrels. The scent brings happiness to a home and brings protection in crowds. Sprinkle basil in the corners of the rooms of your house to bring in happiness and love. It brings an aura of understanding to between people, and is an especially appropriate herb for couples who need to open channels of communication.

Mars in Magick

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

Mars

Powers: Strength, Struggle, War, Anger, Conflict, Aggression, Victory, Energy, Ambition, Goals, Upheaval, Strife, Arguments, Courage, Politics, Sexual energy, Exorcism, Protection, Defensive magick.

Day: Tuesday

Element: Fire

Colour: Red

Zodiac: Aries and Scorpio

Numbers: 2, 3, 16 and 5

Crystals: Bloodstone, Garnet, Ruby, Jasper

Herbs/Plants: Cypress, Pine or Tobacco, All-Heal, Aloe, Asafoetida, Basil, Betony, Chilli, Coriander, Dragon’s blood, Gentain, Garlic, Mustard, Onion, Pepper, Radish, Sarsaparilla, Taragon, Holly, Kerm, Oak

Animal: Basilisk

Goddesses: Anath, Brigit, Diana, Morrigan

Gods: Ares, Crius, Heracles, Mars, Nergal, Horus, Tyr

Rose

Posted on by A Solitary Pagan

Rose

rosa species

PARTS USED

Flowers, petals, leaves

GENDER: Feminine

ELEMENTS: Fire and Water

PLANETS: Mars and Venus

POWERS

Healing

Love

Love Divination

Luck

Protection

Psychic Powers

Ultimate Love

DEITIES

Adonis

Aurora

Cupid

Demeter

Eros

Harpocrates

Hathor

Hulda

Isis

Magical Uses

The ultimate in love wishes,

this will aid in bringing a true lasting

love and help to mend any spats

between you in an already committed relationship.

The petals can be bathed with

while thinking a new love to you,

the dried flowers are burned in love wishes.

Sleeping with the flowers will

protect your dreams.

Carry a sachet or amulet for protection against

bodily injury or when working healing wishes.

Roses have long been used in love mixtures,

owing to the flowers’ association with the emotions.

A chaplet of roses worn when performing love spells

(remove the thorns), or a single rose in a vase

on the alter, are powerful love magic aids.

Rose water distilled from the petals

is added to love baths.

Rose Hips (the fruit of the rose) are

strung and worn as love-attracting beads.

A tea of rosebuds drunk before sleep

induces prophetic dreams.

To discover their romantic future,

women used to take three green rose leaves

and name each for one of their lovers.

The one that stayed green the longest answered

the question of “Which One?”

Rose petals and hips are used in healing spells

and mixtures, and rosewater saturated cloth

laid to the temples will relieve headache pain.

Roses are added to fast-luck mixtures and, when

carried, act as personal protectants.

Rose petals sprinkled around the house

calm personal stress and household upheavals.

Roses planted in the garden attract fairies, and

are said to grow best when stolen.

The Magick of Ash

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Gender: Masculine; Planet: Sun; Element: Fire

Sacred to Uranus, Poseidon, Thor, Woden, Neptune, Mars, Gwydion

Magickal Powers: Protection, Prosperity, Sea Rituals, Health

The ancient Teutons regarded the Ash as “The World Tree“, which was their conception of the Universe, and therefore revered as such.

Ash has been used in many magickal ways over the centuries. Sailors of old carved an equal-armed cross from Ash to carry whilst at sea to protect against drowning. Ash is used in many sea rituals as it represents the power which resides in water.

The leaves of the Ash can be used to encourage prophetic dreams by placing them under one’s pillow or in a sachet. The leaves may also be scattered to the four directions to protect a house and/or property.

The Ash tree, as are many trees, is considered to be very protective. A staff (such as a Shaman’s staff) carved from Ash, placed over a doorway, wards off malign influences. Ash is also said to ward off snakes, as they will not crawl over its wood. However, Ash attracts lightening, so please don’t stand beneath one during a thunderstorm!

Fox Glove

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“The plant has been particularly associated with midwifery and women’s magick”

The foxgloves are back.

“In Roman times, foxglove was a flower sacred to the goddess Flora, who touched Hera on her breasts and belly with foxglove in order to impregnate her with the god Mars. The plant has been particularly associated with midwifery and women’s magick ever since.”

“Some stories have told that the word ‘foxglove’ is merely a misrepresentation of ‘folk’s glove’, ie gloves little people might wear.”

“Another says that the gloves do indeed belong to foxes and that fairies gave them to the foxes to put on their paws to enable them to sneak silently into the hen house without being heard.This story is echoed in the belief that the mottled spots inside the flowers are actually fairy handprints.”

Astrology Basics

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There are twelve sun signs in the Zodiac:

ARIES – The Ram. Energy, love of action and perseverance. Impetuous, yearning to lead and conquest. Element is Fire and Ruled by Mars. Loyal and Quick tempered. Colour is red

TAURUS – The Bull. Steadfast, reliable, practical. Limited outlook and interests, prone to stubbornness. Element is Earth and ruled by Venus. Honest, but wont take advice. Colour is Turquoise

GEMINI – The Twins. Agile, versatile and adaptable. Easily bored, can’t concentrate for long. Element is Air and Ruled by Mercury. Friendly, but doesn’t pay attention. Colour is silver

CANCER – The Crab. Sensitive and protective, and homely. Easily hurt and moody, also clingy. Element is Water and ruled by the Moon. Imaginative, but jealous. Colour is White

LEO – The Lion. Extrovert, magnetic and born leaders. Impulsive, dramatic and opinionated. Element is Fire and Ruled by the Sun. Reliable, but outspoken. Colour is Gold.

VIRGO – The Virgin. Perfectionists, efficient and methodical. Discriminative, hypochondriac and shy. Element is Earth and Ruled by Mercury. Generous, but also critical. Colour is Grey.

LIBRA – The Scales. Balanced, loyal and artistic. Indecisive, restless and afraid of the new. Element is Air and Ruled by Venus. At best patient, at worst hate arguing. Colour is turquoise

SCORPIO – The Scorpion. Passionate, Analytic, and intuitive. Hypersensitive and broody. Element is Water and Ruled by Pluto. Determined but over dramatic. Colour is Scarlet.

SAGITTARIUS – The Archer. Adventurous, generous and confident. Impatient, boastful and impulsive. Element is Fire and Ruled by Jupiter. Humorous, but untidy. Colour is Amethyst.

CAPRICORN – The Goat. Ambitious, hardworking and thrifty. Reserved, worry and can appear cold. Element is Earth and Ruled by Saturn. Efficient, but moody. Colour is black.

AQUARIUS – The Water Carrier. Humanistic, broad and progressive. Eccentric, impartial and outrageous. Element is Air and Ruled by Uranus. Sincere, but impatient. Colour is Electric blue.

PISCES – The Fishes. Romantic, intuitive and imaginative. Hypersensitive, dependent and dreamers. Element is Water and Ruled by Neptune. Compassionate, but delusional. Colour is Seagreen.

HOUSES: First – Personality (Aries), Second – Money (Taurus). Third – Relationships (Gemini), Fourth – Home (Cancer), Fifth – Pleasure (Leo), Sixth – Health (Virgo), Seventh – Marriage (Libra), Eighth – Mysteries (Scorpio), Ninth – Travel (Sagittarius), Tenth – Business (Capricorn), Eleventh – Friends (Aquarius), Twelfth – Fantasies (Pisces)

SEVEN MYSTICAL POWERS (THE PLANETS)

Sun – Rulership, Integration, Creativity, Personality, Will Power, Nature

Moon – Responsive, Reflective, Instinctive, Intuitive, Emotional, Receptive

Mercury – Communication, Intellect, Reason, Adaptive, Perception, Expression

Venus – Harmony, Art, Beauty, Possessions, Love, Affection, Lust

Mars – Discrimination, Bravery, Drive, Energy, Anger, Destruction

Jupiter – Leadership, Generosity, Opportunity, Experience, Luck, Optimism

Saturn – Slowness, Responsibility, Hard Work, Pessimism, Research, Endurance

Also:

Uranus – Hidden depths, Originality, Inspiration, Revolution, Science, Change

Neptune – Occult, Mysticism, Psychism. Hallucinations, Visions, Delusion

Pluto – Mysteries, Secrets, Transformations, Regeneration, Obsessions, Wealth

To find out where the planets were when you were born, you will need an Ephemeris. Please note that the information given will be in Sidereal Time, the Time of the Stars.

You can also download a blank chart from the internet if you would like to work it out for yourself, but you will need an astrology book telling you what the different planets mean in the different signs.

Planetary Symbols and Zodiac Signs:

Please note that there are two different alternative symbols for both Uranus and Pluto, I have given both sets of planetary symbols here for comparison in case you may come across them.

Pallas, Juno, Vesta and Ceres are asteroids that are sometimes accounted for in astrology, though not always. Likewise Chiron is a planetoid in our solar system that has an orbit in between Saturn and Uranus.

As Above So Below

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Heaven above, heaven below; stars above, stars below;

All that is above, thus also below; understand this and be blessed —Prodromus Coptus Sive Aegyptiacus by Athanasius Kircher (1636)

One of the best known sacramental phrases of Hermeticism,

“As above, so below” is also very much of the core of the worldview of Astrology.

This in turn is associated with the principle that everything that exists in the universe is interconnected and makes up one great whole.

Even though it is a standard practice to speak of astrological events as having an impact upon our lives and our world, this isn’t the most accurate way to describe what is actually occurring.

The relationship between the macrocosm and the microcosm is reciprocal.

It is not so much that the heavens affect us as it is that they are large enough so that we can read what is written there, rather than what is written in a script too small upon the fine fabric of the reality.

One of the benefits of making Astrology a part of your practice if you are a witch or a magician is that helps to train our subtle senses to also read those microcosmic patterns.

The Signs

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The 12 Signs of the zodiac are not the constellations.

The Signs are 30° segments that mark the journey of the Sun through the changes of the Wheel of the Year.

The two solstices and the two equinoxes are the anchors that set the order and the placement of the Signs, and create a quartered circle in astrological charts.

Then, if you divide each quarter into three pieces, you have the twelvefold structure of the Signs.

Sailors in open waters far from land use the stars as surrogate landmarks.

Relative to the short spans of human lives, the stars seem to be fixed points.

When the science of Astrology was being formulated, the collections of stars that we name as constellations were used as navigational points in the deep of the sky.

In fact, because of the slow wobble in Earth’s rotation, the stars do move about 1° every 72 years.

As such the constellations that we see in the night sky do not match up with the Signs of the zodiac.

I have lost count of the number of times that I’ve encountered the assertion that Astrology cannot be valid because the Signs do not line up with the constellations.

In Astrology, the Signs are not about those distant stars; the Signs depict the journey of the Sun through its 12 stations.

As such, the cycle always begins with the northern Spring Equinox marking the beginning of Aries and proceeds from there.

Before going any further I should explain that the Zodiac is actually an ecliptic coordinate system.

In other words, if you take the apparent motion of the Sun across the sky and widen that line by 8° north and south so that it becomes like a ribbon that circles the skies of Earth, you have the path of the Zodiac.

The vernal equinox is the origin point for the degrees of longitude in Astrology within this coordinate system.

This ribbon, this band in the heavens, is where we see the motion of the Sun, Moon, and the Planets that can be seen with the naked eye.

The Zodiac is the road of the Sun, not the stars. My first teacher of Astrology, Ellen Riordan, taught me the Signs as a dance.

She lit a candle in the center of the room and then proceeded to do 12 different styles of motions as she circled around the flame, dancing the dance of the Earth’s relationship to the Sun.

I wish I had recorded a video of her dance. If you follow one of the numerous paths of Witchcraft or Paganism, then the idea of the changes of the seasons marking changes in the energy of the world is very familiar.

Many traditions make use of the change of the seasons as markers for their holy days, although the number of holidays varies from tradition to tradition.

By extension, then, you can understand the 12 Signs as a twelvefold Wheel of the Year. In the chapter “The Astrology of Time,” we’ll explore how the various wheels within wheels of cyclical time relate to each other.

The 12 Signs can be thought of as the 12 styles of human wisdom and human folly.

You could also say that they are 12 modes of human consciousness.

If you wish to think of the Signs as vibrations, then you can think of them as named colors or as notes in a musical scale.

Although it is true that both colors and notes are part of an unbroken continuum, there is great value in naming specific colors and specific notes.

Astrologers and magickal practitioners have been working with and elaborating on the meaning of the Signs for many, many generations.

It is a well-known tenet in many systems of Magick that when people apply thought, emotion, and imagination in a consistent and coherent manner, that over time a thought-form is developed.

Taking this magickal perspective into consideration, it is also clear that in addition to the qualities that are inherent to the Signs, there are also highly developed thought-forms attached to each of the Signs.

In the chapter devoted to the Signs, I will describe the attributes of each of the Signs in some detail.

Many things in Astrology are changeable, but the structure of relationships between the 12 Signs does not change.

The natural order of the Signs starts with Aries and ends with Pisces, and the flow of the Signs is counterclockwise.

Each of the Signs has a unique combination of an Element, a Modality, and the Polarity.

Many secrets and mysteries are encoded into this patterned sequence.

If a person had a deep understanding of the meaning of the Elements, Modalities, and the Polarities but had never been taught anything about the 12 Signs, they would be able to make educated guesses about the nature of each of the 12 Signs with a bit of contemplation on each unique combination .

The Signs can be thought of as the equivalent of adjectives and adverbs because they modify or color the power of a Planet through a unique combination of an Element, a Modality, and a Polarity.

The Planets

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Before delving into the Planets, I’d like to point out that although the names of the Planets are also the names of Gods and Goddesses, it is an error to limit your understanding of the Planets by giving too much emphasis to the qualities ascribed to their divine namesakes.

The Planets also correlate to the spheres on the Tree of Life (Qabala) and have other attributes that are only taught in an astrological context.

The Planets are also associated in different magickal systems with a variety of beings, such as intelligences, spirits, angels, archangels, and more.

Each Planet is a container for an incredibly wide array of characteristics and qualities.

As I mentioned earlier, Astrology can be likened to a language.

The Planets serve the lexical role of nouns.

So if you recall your days in grammar class, you’ll be able to remember that a noun is a person, place, thing, or idea.

The word “planet” is derived from ancient Greek and means “wandering star.”

Unlike the fixed stars in the night sky whose relationship to each other seems not to change, the Planets are those lights that are seen to move over time.

This is not the definition used in astronomy.

For example, in Astrology, the Moon is considered a Planet because of its apparent motion.

As you may know, in 2006 astronomers demoted Pluto from the status of Planet to dwarf Planet.

In Astrology, Pluto remains a Planet because it moves through our sky and has been verified to have specific effects in astrological charts.

Some of you may be asking, what about the asteroids and the other dwarf Planets? Many astrologers are using some of the asteroids and dwarf Planets in their charts.

I certainly do. I say some of the asteroids and dwarf Planets because many of them are so recently discovered that there has not been enough time to fully determine what they mean.

For the scope of this book, the chapter on the Planets will focus on the basic set that is used in magickal practices, although there will be some passing reference to the asteroids and the dwarf Planets.

The Planets are states of being and sources of particular sorts of power.

In Western esotericism, the Planets when attributed to the spheres on the Tree of Life (sephiroth of the Qabala) can be referred to as the mundane chakras.

This is an interesting phrase that can be interpreted in many different ways.

Imagine for a moment that our solar system is like the body of an immense celestial being.

Within this celestial being the Planets are like its subtle centers that take the universal flux which contains all things, and condense and focus that energy and that essence into specific patterns and qualities.

In the human energy field, the subtle bodies, the chakras are also particularized energetic centers.

In Astrology, the Planets also represent different parts and functionalities within the human self and psyche.

Although much of modern Astrology is anthropocentric, all of its concepts are also applicable to the whole of the manifest world and all its life.

This more universal application becomes very important in matters of Magick and ritual where we see the Planets and Signs correlated to minerals, herbs, metals, and more.

Astrology The Sun

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The glyph of the Sun is a circle with a point in the center. Both the circle and the point represent different kinds of infinity.

The point is at the same time dimensionless and contains infinite dimensions.

The circle consists of an infinite number of points in the same relationship to the central point.

The glyph of the Sun resonates with the ideas of the macrocosm and the microcosm, of spirit concentrating itself into manifestation, and of the aphorism that everything is at the center of its own universe.

The Sun is the source of purpose and power for all things great and small within our solar system.

The Sun is the voice, the face, and the emissary for the Source of all things, of the universe, within the frame of time that we live.

The Sun in the chart of a person, a collective entity such as a nation, or a particular event reveals by its Sign and its House placement the style of expression and the circumstances of how that purpose and power is manifested.

To the degree that choices and actions are in accord to the Sun, more vitality becomes available.

Conversely, when a person, a collective entity such as a nation, or a particular event runs counter to the natural flow of the Sun there is a reduction in the availability of power.

It is the light of the Sun that feeds the life of the Earth.

It is the Sun’s cycles of day and night and the passage of the seasons organizes how life moves through its stations.

The Sun is the purest expression of the power of integration, and as such contains the essence of individuality.

As Aleister Crowley said in The Book of the Law, “Every man and every woman is a star.” The Sun is a star, and in a chart it also shows us how true will and higher will express themselves in the manifest realm.

The Sun is assigned to the sphere of Tiphereth in the Qabala.

Astrology The moon

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Whereas a circle represents spirit, the semicircle represents soul in the pictographic code of the astrological glyphs.

The Moon’s glyph is the vessel of the soul, both for its development and its journey in the Moon boat.

Of all the astrological glyphs, the Moon’s glyph most strongly resembles its counterpart in the skies.

The two sharp points created by the intersection of the two semicircles remind us of the pulsing rhythm of the Moon.

The horns of the Moon remind us of the waxing and waning, of being present in day and night, and punctuated moments of duality that resolved back into the curves of the crescent.

The Moon is the vessel of our life and contains within it the storehouse of the images, the emotions, and the memories that make up the experience of life.

The Moon is connected to instinct, how we react before we have time to think with our conscious minds.

The Moon is the author, the editor, of the story of our life.

When you look back upon your life you do not remember it as raw security camera footage.

You remember your life as a story.

This story is a summation, a distillation, of your experiences with plots and subplots and chapters.

The position of the Moon in a particular Sign and House determines the style and the genre of your life story.

The Moon is also the lower reflection of the powers of the Sun, and as such is associated with the unconscious, the subconscious, and those parts of the psyche that live in the land of dream.

In Magick, the Moon is associated with the astral plane and therefore the sphere of Yesod in the Tree of Life.

It is the realm closest to physical manifestation and the plane where most magickal work is done.

The Moon collects all the influences and then turns earthwards to create the ebb and flow of the tides of life, both physical and subtle.

Astrology

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Astrology, the study of the influence of the stars and planets upon life on this earth, is another of the fundamentals of magic. It is studied by witches and magicians alike. In the past, it was as important to the village witch in her lonely cottage, as it was to the wealthy and learned man who practiced magic behind the locked doors of his study.

The basic premise of astrology is contained in the famous sentence from the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus: ” Quod est inferius
est sicut quod est superius, et quod est superius est sicut quod est inferius, ad perpetranda miracula rei unius.” (“That which is below is like unto that which is above, and that which is above is like unto that which is below, for the performing of the miracles of the One Thing.”)
In other words, the universe is unity. Vibrations thrill throughout it, manifesting upon different planes as different effects, material or
non-material. These vibrations basically correspond to the sacred number, seven; hence they are sometimes called the Seven Rays.

In our solar system, the planets and luminaries have been named after the gods who rule these Seven Rays, who are known to us as Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Venus, Mercury and Luna. The actual planets and luminaries visible to us in the sky are the physical manifestations of these influences and the means whereby they are transmitted to the earth.

Beyond Saturn, the farthest planet visible to the naked eye, are Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. These are regarded generally by astrologers as
higher and more spiritual versions of the planetary influences of Mercury, Venus and Mars, rather like a musical note being repeated an
octave higher. Paracelsus, the great occultist of the Middle Ages, predicted the discovery of other planets, telling his contemporaries that
“there were some stars that had not yet cast their rays”.

It has been objected to astrology that it is founded upon the ancient ideas of astronomy, which pictured the earth as the center of the universe, and the sun and all the planets and stars as revolving around it. Today, the critics say, these notions are all exploded, so astrology must perish with them. However, astrology always has been based upon the apparent motions of the heavens, as seen by us on earth. For us as human beings, for our practical purposes, the earth under our feet is the center of the universe and the sun does rise in the east and set in the west. Astrology, witchcraft, and magic are often most misunderstood precisely when they are most down-to-earth and practical.

A horoscope is a chart of the heavens as they appear to a person on earth at a particular place and a particular time. The so-called ‘horoscopes’ which often appear in the popular press are not really horoscopes at all; they are brief, generalized readings from the current positions of the planets as they affect the twelve different signs of the zodiac.

There. are really two zodiacs, the zodiac of the constellations which can be seen in the night sky, and the zodiac which is the plane of the
ecliptic. The former is called the Sidereal Zodiac, and the latter the Tropical Zodiac. The astrologers of India and the East generally, still use the Sidereal Zodiac; but those of the West mostly use the Tropical Zodiac.

The latter is the apparent path of the sun in a year, as it appears to circle the earth. Like any other circle, this has 360 degrees. These are
divided into twelve signs of 30 degrees each, and these twelve signs are named after the shining constellations of the Sidereal Zodiac. The Tropical Zodiac commences at the spring equinox when the sun appears to enter the sign of Aries, the Ram, and day and night are equal. But owing to the phenomenon called the precession of the equinoxes, this point no longer coincides with the constellation Aries. It is the constellation Pisces, and slowly moving back towards Aquarius. It does in fact pass very slowly backward through all the constellations, in a cyclic movement which is called the Great Year of Twelve Ages, a span of time lasting over 25,00 earthly years.

These Twelve Ages actually reflect the characteristics of each zodiacal sign, and this can be traced in world history, as Vera W. Reid has shown in her book Towards Aquarius (Riders, London, 1 944). We are now in the transition period between the Age of Pisces and the Age of Aquarius; hence the world unrest and breakdown of the old forms of society, and of old-established ideas, manners, and moral codes, which so alarms many of the older generations. But together with this breaking-down process, a building-up is also going on, of the ideas and ideals characteristic of the Aquarian Age which is coming; an age which, occultists believe, will be a happier and more enlightened one than the Age of Pisces, which is now crumbling to decay.

On 5th February 1962, an unusual astrological event occurred. All seven of the oldest-known planets, Mars, Saturn, Sol, Luna, Mercury,
Venus and Jupiter, in that order, were gathered in the Sign of Aquarius. Astrologers regarded this as of great significance; some said that it might indicate the birth of some great soul, who would further the ideals of the Age of Aquarius, which is the sign of the brotherhood of man.
We can only hope that they might be right.

The twelve signs of the zodiac are ruled by the planets and luminaries, called for convenience the seven planets. (The ancients were perfectly
well aware that the sun and the moon are not planets, but it was needlessly awkward to keep making this distinction.) These sacred seven
extend their rulership over everything upon the earth; the day of the week, the colors of the rainbow, minerals, metals, jewels, plants, trees,
animals, fishes, birds; everything in Nature has its astrological correspondence and rulership.

The great importance of these rulerships in practical magic can easily be seen. If, for instance, a witch wants to select a herb to use for a
magical purpose, she has to use one whose astrological rulership is correct for the work in hand. Love charms, for instance, will call for
herbs ruled by Venus. The moon rules psychic things, and a herb of the moon, mugwort, or Artemisia vulgaris, is used to make an infusion
or tea which many believe is an aid to clairvoyance. One of the tasks of the would-be magician is learning astrological correspondences, and the signs and symbols relating to them, from such books as Aleister Crowley’s 777 (777 Revised: A Reprint with Much Additional Matter, The Neptune Press, London 1 956), or The Magus, by Francis Barrett (London, 1 801), (This latter book was a favorite of ‘Cunning’ Murrell, the famous wizard of Hadleigh, in Essex.)

All the older herbals, such as the original seventeenth-century Culpeper’s Herbal (Culpeper’s English Physician and Complete Herbal,
Nicholas Culpeper, first published London, 1 652, and Wehmann, 1 960), contain the astrological rulerships of the herbs they recommend. Old Nicholas Culpeper himself gives many dissertations about the importance of astrology in treating diseases, saying that physic without
astrology is like a lamp without oil. His Herbal, together with William Lilly’s Introduction to Astrology (London, 1 647), were part of the stock-in-trade of many of the later village witches.

Lilly gives many examples of horary astrology; that is, answering questions, discovering stolen goods, etc, by means of an astrological
figure set up for the time of the question or the event inquired about. This was and still is an important branch of magical practice, though
often brought into disrepute by charlatans.

At the present day, a witch is known to me, who is the leader of a coven, makes practical use of astrology in selecting suitable members. If
anyone wants to join her coven, she asks them for their time, place, and date of birth, and casts their horoscope. From this, she deduces whether or not they will make good witches, and if they will be able to work in harmony with other members of the coven.

The Way of Art

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Although Astrology is a sacred science and as such is a mental undertaking with many rules and procedures, it is also an art requiring the intuition and the way of beauty to reveal its richness.

It is the way of art that guides astrologers, or practitioners using Astrology in their Magick, to know which of many details actually matter and to bring harmony to the flood of data.

This is certainly evident when an astrologer is doing a reading and is also the muse that harnesses the power of Astrology into the design of a spell or ritual.

The imaginative and intuitive part of Astrology’s worldview is best experienced through imagery rather than rational exposition.

The following passage may be read as a mythic story to describe one facet among the many that make up the jewel of Astrology.

You may wish to use it as a guided visualization to more deeply internalize the experience.

Either find a friend or associate to read it to you or make a recording of your own voice.

Read the pathworking slowly and note that where you see “ ” it indicates a pause. Remember that if you have a computer, a smart phone, or even a portable recorder you already have the tools to make a recording of this pathworking that is good enough for this purpose.

Astrology Mercury

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The glyph of Mercury consists of the circle that represents Spirit, the semicircle that represents the Soul, and the cross that represents Matter.

Soul is above, Spirit is in the middle, and Matter is below in the glyph of Mercury.

This triplicity reminds us of Hermes Trismegistus (thrice-great Hermes), and Mercury is indeed thoughts, ideas, communication, and is the conduit and the herald between the layers of self and the planes of being.

The position of Mercury in a particular Sign and House shows us how the stream of consciousness is articulated into words, images, and ideas.

It is the way in which we synthesize, categorize, separate, and divide the world into hemes and things that can be named.

Mercury is never more than 28° from the Sun, sometimes in the same Sign as the Sun, and sometimes in the Sign before or after that of the Sun.

This is more than simply a matter of celestial mechanics; it is an indicator of the fact that waking consciousness can only be a certain distance away from the source of being which is the Sun.

Mercury through the power of thought expresses a blending of the capabilities inherent in the Sun and the Moon.

Just as Mercury shows us how we create the internal dialogue of consciousness, it also shows us how we communicate with others.

Mercury is associated with the sphere of Hod in the tree of life, which is the sphere of thought and all systems of notation and knowledge.

It is also connected to Hermes, Thoth, and other divinities that act as messengers and psychopomps.

Just as heralds have their badge office that allows them to safely move through places where others would be barred, and to communicate safely with powers that are potentially dangerous, so too in Magick do we find the Planet Mercury a useful intermediary in numerous operations.

Mercury is neutral and can be said to be all polarities and no polarities at once.

The Houses and the Ascendant

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When you take the light of the Planets as mediated by the Signs and project them onto a precise time and in particular place, they fall into the Houses.

The way we normally measure time is through hours, minutes, and seconds.

The way we plot locations is through degrees, minutes, and seconds of longitude and latitude.

If you look at an old-fashioned clock with hands and the numbers 1 through 12 and then you look at an astrological chart, it is fairly clear that they have an ancestor or two in common.

The term horoscope comes from the Greek horoskopos which means “look of the hour” or “marker of the hour.”

The term “horoscope” is often used loosely today to refer to a chart or to a forecast, but it originally meant the marker for the beginning of a House system.

The reason astrologers need to know as exactly as possible the time for constructing a chart is that the placement of the Planets and Signs into the Houses can only occur if you know their starting point.

Imagine again the face of a clock, except this is a special clock: Instead of hands that mark the hours, minutes, and seconds, there is a hand for each of the Planets.

By the way, this special clock also marks their location in degrees.

Most astrological charts are drawn with a vertical line in the horizontal line that is darker or in some other manner highlight four directions.

The point of the top of the chart represents the South, and the bottom represents the North.

The left side of the chart represents the East, and the right side, the West.

This may give you a moment’s pause if you are accustomed to the standard used in most maps and also in diagrams for circles used in Magick.

Once you understand the rationale for flipping the directions, it will be easy to both remember and to understand the default orientation and astrological charts.

At any given time or place it may be night or day, but the chart has to show the entirety of the celestial sphere, both above and below.

If you were born at night or if the chart is being constructed is for an event at night, then the Sun will be below the horizontal line in the chart.

If you were born during the day or if the chart is being constructed for an event during the day, then the Sun will be above the horizon line.

When someone speaks about the Rising Sign (the Ascendant), they are referring to whichever Sign is on the far left point of a horizontal line that represents the Eastern horizon.

The Rising Sign literally is the Sign that is rising and is the anchor of the Houses.

When we look at charts later in the book you will notice that despite the fact that the Signs are all exactly 30° size, the Houses can vary in size.

Depending upon the time of the year and how far north or south you are, the length of the day and the length of the night can have considerable variation.

Remember, the chart is a condensation of several planes of action and is also a projection onto a flat surface.

The 12 Houses still have to add up to the 360° of a circle; the top half of the chart represents day and the bottom half represents night.

The calculations in constructing the chart adjust the sizes of the Houses to reflect the season and the location.

There are many competing House systems for accomplishing this end that you may wish to research if you pursue studies in Astrology.

For the purposes of this book, the charts used in illustrations will be using the Koch House system.

The 12 Houses are actually what happens when the 12 Signs come all the way down to Earth.

Each of the 12 Signs can be said to have a particular temperament, a style of working in the world, and enthusiasm and aptitude for particular activities.

In Astrology we say that each House is ruled by one of the Signs.

In your mind’s eye, see these 12 celestial beings that are the Signs taking aptitude tests before diving down into the workplace that we call Earth.

The result of those aptitude tests would give a variety of jobs or tasks to which that Sign is especially well suited.

Those jobs, tasks, and endeavors revealed in the aptitude tests are the themes of the 12 Houses.

The 12 Houses represent different areas of life, tangible ways in which energy is expressed or received, the parts of the human body ruled by its corresponding Sign, and a myriad of other concrete expressions of the essence of the Signs