How To Honor the Sacred Feminine with a Goddess Ritual

When Margaret Murray wrote her ground-breaking God of the Witches, in 1931, scholars quickly dismissed her theory of a universal, pre-Christian cult of witches who worshipped a singular mother goddess. However, Murray wasn't completely off-base; a number of individual cults existed in pre-Christian Europe which honored mother goddesses of their own. In Rome, the cult of Cybele was huge, and the mystery traditions of Isis soon took on a mother-goddess status. Take advantage of the blooming of spring, and use this time to celebrate the archetype of the mother goddess, and honor your own female ancestors and friends.

 

Difficulty: Average

 

Time Required: Varied

Here's How:

1. This simple ritual can be performed by both men and women, and is designed to honor the feminine aspects of the universe as well as our female ancestors. If you have a particular deity you call upon, feel free to change names or attributes around where needed. Otherwise, you can use the all-encompassing name of "Goddess" in the rite.
2. Decorate your altar with symbols of femininity: cups, chalices, flowers, lunar objects, fish, and doves or swans. You'll also need the following items for this ritual:
   
   • A white candle
   • An offering of something that is important to you
   • A bowl of water
   • A handful of small pebbles or stones
   
   
3. If your tradition calls for you to cast a circle, do so now. Begin by standing in the goddess position, and saying:
   I am (your name), and I stand before you,
   goddesses of the sky and earth and sea,
   I honor you, for your blood runs through my veins,
   one woman, standing on the edge of the universe.
   Tonight, I make an offering in Your names,
   As my thanks for all you have given me.
4. Light the candle, and place your offering before it on the altar. The offering may be something tangible, such as bread or wine or flowers. It can also be something symbolic, such as a gift of your time or dedication. Whatever it is, it should be something from your heart. You may want to read up on Offerings to the Gods for some ideas.
5. Once you have made your offering, it is time to call upon the goddesses by name. Say:
   I am (your name), and I stand before you,
   Isis, Ishtar, Tiamat, Inanna, Shakti, Cybele.
   Mothers of the ancient people,
   guardians of those who walked the earth thousands of years ago,
   I offer you this as a way of showing my gratitude.
   Your strength has flowed within me,
   your wisdom has given me knowledge,
   your inspiration has given birth to harmony in my soul.
6. Now it is time to honor the women who have touched your life. For each one, place a pebble into the bowl of water. As you do so, say her name and how she has impacted you. You might say something like this:
   I am (your name), and I stand before you,
   to honor the sacred feminine that has touched my heart.
   I honor Susan, who gave birth to me and raised me to be strong;
   I honor Maggie, my grandmother, whose strength took her to the hospitals of war-torn France;
   I honor Cathleen, my aunt, who lost her courageous battle with cancer;
   I honor Jennifer, my sister, who has raised three children alone…
7. Continue until you have placed a pebble in the water for each of these women. Reserve one pebble for yourself. Finish by saying:
   I am (your name), and I honor myself,
   for my strength, my creativity, my knowledge, my inspiration,
   and for all the other remarkable things that make me a woman.
8. Take a few minutes and reflect on the sacred feminine. What is it about being a woman that gives you joy? If you're a man performing this ritual, what is it about the women in your life that makes you love them? Meditate on the feminine energy of the universe for a while, and when you are ready, end the ritual.

Tips:

1. This ritual can be adapted for a group easily; with a little planning it can become a beautiful ceremony for a number of people. Consider doing it as part of a womens' circle, in which each member honors the others as part of the rite.

What You Need

• A white candle
• An offering
• A bowl of water
• A collection of pebbles or small stones

-The Crafty Witch

Happy Halloween/Samhain History

Samhain -- The fields are bare, the leaves have fallen from the trees, and the skies are going gray and cold. It is the time of year when the earth has died and gone dormant. Every year on October 31 (or May 1, if you're in the Southern Hemisphere) the Sabbat we call Samhain presents us with the opportunity to once more celebrate the cycle of death and rebirth. For many Pagan and Wiccan traditions, Samhain is a time to reconnect with our ancestors, and honor those who have died. This is the time when the veil between our world and the spirit realm is thin, so it's the perfect time of year to make contact with the dead. You may want to take a moment to read up on:

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Rituals and Ceremonies

Depending on your individual spiritual path, there are many different ways you can celebrate Samhain, but typically the focus is on either honoring our ancestors, or the cycle of death and rebirth. This is the time of year when the gardens and fields are brown and dead. The nights are getting longer, there's a chill in the air, and winter is looming. We may choose to honor our ancestors, celebrating those who have died, and even try to communicate with them. Here are a few rituals you may want to think about trying for Samhain -- and remember, any of them can be adapted for either a solitary practitioner or a small group, with just a little planning ahead.

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Lore

Samhain is the third and final harvest, the harvest of meat. The Old King is dead, and the Crone Goddess mourns him greatly during the next six weeks. The sun is at its lowest point on the horizon as measured by the ancient standing stones of Britain and Ireland, the reason the Celts chose this sabbat rather than Yule as their new year. To the ancient Celts, this holiday divided the year into two seasons, Winter and Summer. Samhain is the day on which the Celtic New Year and winter begin together, so it is a time for both beginnings and endings.

It is also the day we honor our dead. Now, while the veil between the worlds is thinnest, those who have died in the past year and those who are to be reincarnated pass through. The doors of the sidhe-mounds are open, and neither human nor faery need any magickal passwords to come and go. Our ancestors, the blessed dead, are more accessible, more approachable during the time of the dying of the land. Samhain is a day to commune with the dead and a celebration of the eternal cycle of reincarnation.

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Altar

Altar candles should be orange (represents magick of fire and remainder of fire in autumn leaves), black (collects and absorbs light and keeps you warm), white (sends out energy), silver, and gold (represents Moon and Sun).

Incense may be myrrh or patchouli

Decorate with autumn flowers, small pumpkins, Indian corn, and gourds

Cauldron with black votive candle for petition magick (for writing resolutions on a strip of paper and burning in the candle flame)

Divination or scrying devises -- tarot, obsidian ball, pendulum, runes, oghams, Ouija boards, black cauldron or bowl filled with black ink or water, or magick mirror, to name a few

An animal horn, feather or talon as a power symbol (Samhain is tradtionally the meat harvest)

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Herbs

Rosemary (for remembrance of our ancestors)

Mullein seeds (a projection for abundance) 

Mugwort (to aid in divination)

rue, calendula, sunflower petals and seeds, pumpkin seeds, turnip seeds, apple leaf, sage, mushrooms, wild ginseng, wormwood, tarragon, bay leaf, almond, hazelnut, passionflower, pine needles, nettle, garlic, hemlock cones, mandrake root

At Samhain, witches once gave one another acorns as gifts. During the Burning Times, giving someone an acorn was a secret means of telling that person you were a witch. Acorns are fruits of the oak, one of the most sacred trees to the ancient Celts. They are symbols of protection, fertility, growth, values, and friendship.

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Stones

Black obsidian, smoky quartz, jet, amber, pyrite, garnet, granite, clear quartz, marble, sandstone, gold, diamond, iron, steel, ruby, hematite, brass

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Spells

At Samhain, witches cast spells to keep anything negative from the past -- evil, harm, corruption, greed -- out of the future. Cast spells to psychically contact our deceased forebears and retrieve ancient knowledge, thus preserving the great Web that stretches through many generations of human families.

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Happy Halloween from the Crafty Witch family to yours!

-The Crafty Witch

DIY Spooky Tree Centerpiece

The Tree Centerpiece really pulls together a room, whether it be spooky for child’s fun, it will definitely have everyone looking twice

Best of this entire project will only cost $3.00!

What you'll Need:

• Black Plastic Cauldron

• Floral/Craft Foam

• Glass Gems, Rocks, or Stones

• Halloween Tinsel Garland

• Plastic Skeleton Garland

• Twigs from Your Yard

• Paint & Paint Brush (Optional)

• Glittery Bat Ornaments (See Directions on Page 2)

*All items italicized are item you probably already have around your own home.

*All items underlined are optional

Easy Step-by-Step Directions:

1. First, gather a few spooky-looking twigs from your yard.

2. Place the floral/craft foam in the center of the cauldron and

fill the empty space around the foam with glass gems, rocks,

or stones. This will anchor your foam and provide stability

for your tree.

3. Stick the twigs from your yard securely into the foam... make

sure you push them far into the foam for stability. Arrange

twigs into your desired tree shape. If you want to paint your

twigs black or another color, do that next. They will be easier

to paint standing upright in the foam. Set the tree aside to dry.

4. Once the twigs are dry, cover the stones at the base of the

tree with Halloween tinsel garland, then place the skeleton

garland on top of the tinsel and position the skeletons

however you wish.

5. Decorate the tree with more skeletons, Halloween creepy

creatures, or handmade glittery bat ornaments (see directions

on page 2).

 

I did mine a little differently but both ways are acceptable. I had bits of gravel from around by house that I was able to anchor mine down with but there are many options available at your local Dollar Tree to find what you would like best. Also I did not line the bottom of my tree centerpiece with tinsel garland and the skeleton garland, I was going for a spookier look to I surrounded mine with Spanish Moss (available at the Dollar Tree)

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Here is also link for those of you how would like to have a print out of the directions - it will take you to the Dollar Tree site where you can print out a PDF!

Go For PDF!

-The Crafty Witch

Autumn Equinox

It is the time of the autumn equinox, and the harvest is winding down. The fields are nearly empty, because the crops have been plucked and stored for the coming winter. Mabon is the mid-harvest festival, and it is when we take a few moments to honor the changing seasons, and celebrate the second harvest. On or around September 21, for many Pagan and Wiccan traditions it is a time of giving thanks for the things we have, whether it is abundant crops or other blessings. You may want to take a moment to read up on:

Depending on your individual spiritual path, there are many different ways you can celebrate Mabon, but typically the focus is on either the second harvest aspect, or the balance between light and dark. This, after all, is the time when there is an equal amount of day and night. While we celebrate the gifts of the earth, we also accept that the soil is dying. We have food to eat, but the crops are brown and going dormant. Warmth is behind us, cold lies ahead. Here are a few rituals you may want to think about trying -- and remember, any of them can be adapted for either a solitary practitioner or a small group, with just a little planning ahead.

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Mabon Magical Herbs

Rue, yarrow, rosemary, marigold, sage, walnut leaves and husks, mistletoe, saffron, chamomile, almond leaves, passionflower, frankincense, rose hips, bittersweet, sunflower, wheat, oak leaves, dried apple or apple seeds.

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Incense

Pine, sage, sweet grass or myrrh you can also mix

marigold, passionflower, and fern, using

frankincense or myrrh as a resin for Mabon incense

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Mabon Magical Stones

During Mabon, stones ruled by the Sun will help

bring the Sun's energy to you.clear quartz,

amber, peridot, diamond, gold, citrine, yellow

topaz, cat's-eye, aventurine.

Mabon is a good time to cast spells of balance

and harmony. It's also a time of change.

Protection, wealth and prosperity spells are

appropriate as well.

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Holiday Fare

Mabon is the Witch's Thanksgiving, a time to

appreciate and give thanks to the Goddess for

her bounty and to share in the joys of the

harvest. Fall fruits, squash, gourds, pumpkins,

grains, nut breads, vegetables.

A magickal Mabon beverage: hot apple cider.

Apple rules the heart, cider alone is a self-

love potion. By spicing it with cinnamon, ruled

by Jupiter and the Sun, we are in essence,

ingesting the sunlight.

Sample menu #1: Mabon Wine Moon Cider, Roast

Chicken Rubbed with Sage, Basil, and Thyme,

Acorn Squash made with Sweet Butter, Cinnamon

and Honey, and Apple Bread.

Sample menu #2: Wine from the god and beans and

squashes from the goddess. A hearty multi-bean

soup with smoked meats (optional), including

such as cut-up mild sausage like mild Italian

or Polish.

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Mabon Wine Moon Cider

4 cups apple cider 1/2 tsp. whole cloves

4 cups grape juice additional cinnamon sticks

2 cinnamon sticks for cups, 6 inches long

1 tsp allspice

In a 4-quart saucepan, heat cider and grape

juice. Add cinnamon, allspice and cloves.

Bring just to boiling. Lower heat and simmer

for 5 minutes.

Serve with ladle from a cauldron. Makes 8 cups.

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Mabon Activities

* Make grapevine wreaths using dried bitter-

  sweet herb for protection. Use ribbons of

  gold and yellow to bring in the energy of the

  Sun, and decorate with sprigs of dried yarrow

  or cinnamon sticks.

* Make a Magical Horn of Plenty.

* Make Magickal Scented Pinecones.

* Make a protection charm of hazelnuts

  (filberts) strung on red thread.

* Collect milkweed pods to decorate at Yuletide

  and attract the faeries.

* Call upon the elementals and honor them for

  their help with (N-earth) the home and

  finances, (E-air) school and knowledge,

  (S-fire) careers and accomplishments,

  (W-water) emotional balance and fruitful

  relationships.

* Make a witch's broom. Tie dried corn husks or

  herbs (broom, cedar, fennel, lavender,

  peppermint, rosemary) around a strong,

  relatively straight branch of your choice.

* Make magic Apple Dolls: Apples are sacred

  symbols of the witch. Our holy land, Avalon,

  means Apple-land or Island of Apples. Slice

  an apple through the midsection and its seeds

  reveal the sacred shape of the pentacle.

  You will need two large apples, one for Mabon

  and one for Modron, 2 pencils and 2 dowels

  about 12 inches long, a paring knife, a glass

  or bowl of water to wash your fingers, a plate,

  and a towel to wipe your hands. Peel and core

  the apples. Carve a face in the apples. Place

  apples on a dowel and stand them in a jar

  to dry (start now). Then charge in a magick

  circle. After 2 or 3 weeks, they should look

  like shrunken heads. Make them into dolls. Use

  wheat, dried herbs or doll's hair for hair.

  Dress them in tiny robes and bring them into

  the circle, asking god/dess to charge them with

  their light.

 

  Hang these Mabon and Madron heads on a Witch's

  cord or a Mabon wreath.

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From "Celebrate the Earth" by Laurie Cabot, Green Witchcraft by Ann Moura, Llewellyn's Witches'

Calendar 1998, and The Witches' God by Janet and Stewart Farrar.

-The Crafty Witch