Samhain Ancestor Rite for Families with Children

Kids Prayer for Samhain

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.

Samhain History

What is Samhain?:

Samhain is known by most folks as Halloween, but for many modern Pagans it's considered a Sabbat to honor the ancestors who came before us, marking the dark time of the year. It's a good time to contact the spirit world with a seance, because it's the time when the veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest.

Myths and Misconceptions:

Contrary to a popular Internet-based (and Chick Tract-encouraged) rumor, Samhain was not the name of some ancient Celtic god of death, or of anything else, for that matter. Religious scholars agree that the word Samhain (pronounced "sow-en") comes from the Gaelic “Samhuin,” but they’re divided on whether it means the end or beginning of summer. After all, when summer is ending here on earth, it’s just beginning in the Underworld. Samhain actually refers to the daylight portion of the holiday, on November 1st.

 

All Hallow Mass:

Around the eighth century or so, the Catholic Church decided to use November 1st as All Saints Day. This was actually a pretty smart move on their part – the local pagans were already celebrating that day anyway, so it made sense to use it as a church holiday. All Saints’ became the festival to honor any saint who didn’t already have a day of his or her own. The mass which was said on All Saints’ was called Allhallowmas – the mass of all those who are hallowed. The night before naturally became known as All Hallows Eve, and eventually morphed into what we call Halloween.

The Witches' New Year:

Sunset on Samhain is the beginning of the Celtic New Year. The old year has passed, the harvest has been gathered, cattle and sheep have been brought in from the fields, and the leaves have fallen from the trees. The earth slowly begins to die around us.
This is a good time for us to look at wrapping up the old and preparing for the new in our lives. Think about the things you did in the last twelve months. Have you left anything unresolved? If so, now is the time to wrap things up. Once you’ve gotten all that unfinished stuff cleared away, and out of your life, then you can begin looking towards the next year.

 

Honoring the Ancestors:

For some of us, Samhain is when we honor our ancestors who came before us. If you’ve ever done genealogy research, or if you’ve had a loved one die in the past year, this is the perfect night to celebrate their memory. If we’re fortunate, they will return to communicate with us from beyond the veil, and offer advice, protection and guidance for the upcoming year.
If you want to celebrate Samhain in the Celtic tradition, spread the festivities out over three consecutive days. You can hold a ritual and feast each night. Be flexible, though, so you can work around trick-or-treating schedules!

Tortoise and Turtle Magic and Folklore

The tortoise and its smaller water-dwelling cousin, the turtle, has appeared in myth and legend for ages, in numerous cultures and societies. These relics of the prehistoric era are often found in creation stories, but can be associated with a variety of other magical and folkloric aspects. Before we get started, let’s take a quick look at the differences between the tortoise and the turtle.


Both the tortoise and the turtle are reptiles, and part of the family Testudines. The tortoise lives on land, gets fairly large – some species regularly weigh in at hundreds of pounds - and has a pretty long lifespan. It’s not uncommon for a tortoise to live over a hundred years, and many records reveal tortoises in captivity that have reached nearly two hundred years of age. By contrast, turtles are much smaller, and generally live in or near water. Turtles typically live from twenty to forty years, although some species of sea turtles have been documented at nearly seventy years of age.


Because of their slow, meandering ways and their long lifespans, turtles and tortoises often appear as symbols of longevity, stability, and wisdom. Let’s look at some of the ways that tortoises and turtles have appeared in myth, magic and legend, throughout the centuries.
In China, tortoise shells, which represent unchangeability, were used as a method of divination. In Chinese legend, the turtle is strongly associated with the element of water, for obvious reasons, and in many tales symbolizes both order, and the creation of the universe.


A number of Native American tribes include the tortoise in their creation stories. The Mohawk people tell of a World Turtle, who carries the earth on her back – and when the earth shakes and moves, it’s because the World Turtle is stretching underneath the weight of all she carries on her shell. Both the Lenape and Iroquois have similar legends, in which the Great Spirit placed all of creation on top of the shell of a giant tortoise.


Turtles appear in folk magic as well. Folklorist Harry Middleton Hyatt, who wrote numerous volumes about the magical culture of the southern United States, says it was common knowledge in some rural areas that carrying a turtle bone in your pocket would bring good fortune your way. In some traditions of hoodoo and rootwork, a turtle’s shell can be used in certain lunar-related spellwork, because the shell is often divided into thirteen sections – the same number as there are lunar months in a calendar year.


The shell of the tortoise also appears in African diasporic religions. The turtle’s shell can be used in rattles or fetishes, and the tortoise appears in several Yoruban folktales as a trickster and troublemaker. The turtle is also sometimes offered as a sacrifice to the gods in Santeria and other Afro-Caribbean religious practice.


Here are some ways you can incorporate the magic of the turtle and tortoise into your life:

• In Feng Shui principles, the turtle has several important meanings. Placed at the north of your home, a black turtle will help attract smooth energies in matters of business. At your back door, a turtle represents strength, and offers protection.
• Carry the bone of a turtle in your pocket or wear it as an amulet for good fortune.
• Use an empty turtle shell for divination purposes – you can fill it with water and use it for scrying, or use it as a catching bowl for bone or stone divination.
• Do you have a pet turtle? They symbolize the strength and stability of your home – keep your turtle happy for a long and healthy life, and he’ll watch over your house and keep you secure.
• If you’re out and about, enjoying nature, keep an eye out for tortoises and turtles. They’re associated with our need for purpose and focus, perhaps because of their slow, deliberate pace. If you see a tortoise or turtle, follow it for a while to see where it goes – and as you do, think about all of the places you need to go yourself.
• Wear turtle earrings or a necklace to bring security and stability into your life.
• If you find a turtle shell that’s no longer inhabited by its original occupant, bring it home and place it near your front door for protection of the house and those who live within.

Legends and Lore of Bees

In the middle of spring, a magical thing begins to happen outside. In addition to the greening of the earth, we notice a change in the local wildlife. Suddenly, squirrels and chipmunks are everywhere.

Birds are twittering away madly in the trees, worms are popping up right and left in the soil, and everywhere you look, life has returned. In particular, you'll see bees buzzing around your garden, partaking of the rich pollen in your flowers and herbs. The plants are in full bloom at this time of the spring, and the bees take full advantage, buzzing back and forth, carrying pollen from one blossom to another.

In addition to providing us with honey and wax, bees are known to have magical properties, and they feature extensively in folklore from many different cultures. These are just a few of the legends about bees:

• In some areas of New England and Appalachia, it was believed that once someone died, it was important for the family to "go tell the bees" of the death. Whoever kept the bees for the family would make sure the bees got the news, so that they could spread it around.
• Ancient Egyptian pharaohs used the honeybee as the royal symbol, during the period between 3000 b.c.e. and 350 b.c.e.
• The Greeks believed that a baby whose lips were touched by a bee would become a great poet or speaker.
• If a bee flies into your house, it means that someone is coming to visit. If you kill the bee, the visitor will bring you bad news.
• Several deities are associated with bees and honey - Aphrodite, Vishnu, Pan, Cybele, and Ra, just to name a few.
• Ever hear the phrase "busy as a bee"? Bees in a hive work repetitively a the same task all day long. A bee who goes out foraging may fly as many as ten miles a day, gathering pollen and nectar to bring back to the hive, over and over again. According to the National Honey Board, a bee may visit more than two million flowers to gather enough nectar to make just one pound of honey. Thus, bees are associated with hard work and diligence.
• If a bee lands on your hand, it means money is coming your way.
• Bees are, in some cultures, associated with purity. This is because the worker bees that produce honey never mate.
• Author J.K. Rowling named Professor Albus Dumbledore for an archaic English word related to bees. She says that when writing, she imagined the headmaster of Hogwarts "wandering around the castle humming to himself," and so chose to associate his name with bees.
• In Celtic mythology, the bee is a messenger between our world and the spirit realm. Bees are also associated with wisdom.
• Bees and honey appear in the Norse eddas, often connected with Yggdrasil, the World Tree.

via about.com

New To The Craft

Since I have made a Facebook page to link my web store and blog I was stunned and somewhat overwhelmed by the amount of people that have reached out to me with questions, comments and just overall communication. I’m thrilled you all are so interested in my blog and work, for that I am making March Q&A month, even though I already have posts lined up feel free to keep the questions coming. Some questions may seem a bit silly but I welcome almost all questions, just not any which may be harassment/offensive to some. Keep it clean.
Today’s Q&A
What should someone new to the craft do? -Robert


Do a little research first and find others that share your passion, read books on Wicca and other pagan religions and see what fits you best. You will find that is a lot of traditional aspects, but don’t let someone tell you there is a certain way you must don’t things. There is no “right” way to be a witch. Create your own path, follow your on journey.


-The Crafty Witch

What is NeoWicca?

Sometimes you may see the word "NeoWicca" used at About Pagan/Wiccan. It's one that appears often in discussions about modern Pagan religions, so let's look at why it's being utilized.

The term NeoWicca (which essentially means "new Wicca") is typically used when we want to distinguish between the two original traditional forms of Wicca (Gardnerian and Alexandrian) and all other forms of Wicca. Many people would argue that anything other than a Gardnerian or Alexandrian tradition is, by default, NeoWicca.

Much of the publicly available material labeled as Wicca in books and on websites is in fact considered NeoWiccan, simply because Gardnerian and Alexandrian material is generally oathbound, and is not made available for public consumption. In addition, to be a Gardnerian or Alexandrian Wiccan, you must be initiated - you cannot self-initiate or dedicate as a Gardnerian or Alexandrian; you have to be part of an established coven. The concept of lineage is also important in these two forms of traditional Wicca.

In general, someone who follows an eclectic path of magical practice, in which they incorporate practices and beliefs from a variety of different systems, would be considered NeoWiccan. Keep in mind that the term NeoWicca is not meant to imply any inferiority to these two original traditions, simply that a NeoWiccan is practicing something newer and therefore different than an Alexandrian or Gardnerian.

Many NeoWiccans adhere to the Wiccan Rede and the law of threefold return. These two prinicples are not typically found in Pagan paths that are not Wiccan.

reblogged
-The Crafty Witch

Celtic Tree Month of Elder Begins -- YESTERDAY

Let me just start off by saying "sorry" I was super busy yesterday getting everything in order for Thanksgiving that I honestly forgot to post yesterday - my apologies!
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The winter solstice will pass, and the Elder moon is a time of endings. Although the Elder can be damaged easily, it recovers quickly and springs back to life, corresponding to the approaching New Year. Called Ruish by the Celts (pronounced roo-esh), the month of Elder is a good time for workings related to creativity and renewal. It is a time of beginnings and endings, births and deaths, and rejuvenation. Elder is also said to protect against demons and other negative entities. Use in magic connected to Faeries and other nature spirits.



-The Crafty Witch