Book of Witchery (37 page)

Allow the candle to burn out in a safe place; it will take about a week. I typically put jar candles on my brick hearth, inside of a large cast-iron cauldron, so even if it somehow got tipped over, the flame would stay contained in a fireproof area.

Clean up your other spell supplies. Save the two oak leaves and keep them for future magick. Return the cards to the tarot deck. Keep the bag with the photos, stones, and leaf together in a safe place until the next full moon. Then, on the night of the following full moon, open it up. Keep the photos and the crystals, and return the oak leaf to nature.

Full Moon on a Friday

Love is in the air . . . especially on a Friday full moon. For this bewitching recipe, we combine all those ripe, full, mystical, and inspiring lunar energies of a full moon mixed together with the special day of the week aligned with the planet Venus. Now sprinkle in a dash of love and romance, add a teaspoon of flower and color magick, and you've got yourself one powerful formula with which to work loving and romantic theme spells.

This full moon spell works with a common variety of houseplant, which is also a magickal flower: the African violet. This hearth-and-home spell is designed to increase the loving vibrations and the feelings of the fullness of love in your home. Just like the common violet, the African violet falls under the planetary influences of Venus. These little blooming houseplants make a lovely addition to your Friday full moon spells. Basically, this spell is a floral fascination. A floral fascination is a term that I coined years ago, and it means practical and powerful magick worked with a flower or a blooming plant.

Making Love Grow Spell

• 1 African violet plant—a pink blooming variety is best (if for some reason you cannot find a pink blooming violet, go with a white variety; white is an all-purpose color)
  
• 1 pink votive candle
  
• 1 votive candle cup
  
• A pin or nail to engrave the candle with the symbol of Venus (
  )
  
• A small tumbled rose quartz stone to increase warm, fuzzy feelings
  
• Lighter or matches
  
• A safe, flat surface on which to set up the spell
  

Again, I would suggest working this spell out under the moonlight or at least near a window that allows you a view of the full moon. To start, set the African violet and the rose quartz stone in the center of your working area. Take the pin and gently carve the planetary symbol of Venus into the side of the votive candle. Drop the votive inside of the cup, and set it to one side. Take a few moments to visualize the spirit of love blessing your home. Feel the fun and the joy of love, and let it fill up your heart. Now light the candle, and place your hands on either side of the potted plant. Repeat the following verse:

Under the light of Friday's full moon

I ask the Goddess to grant me a boon

By the energy of a Venus flower

Mix with this a rose quartz's warm, fuzzy powers

Bless this home with love and your grace

Let it expand out and fill up this place.

Close the spell with these lines:

By flower petal and moonlight, this spell is begun
For the good of all, this witchery brings harm to none.

Pocket the rose quartz stone and keep it with you. Care for your houseplant, and enjoy the richness of love that is sure to bless your days and your home.

Full Moon on a Saturday

Well, here we are at the last day of the week on which we can explore full moon magick. A full moon that occurs on a Saturday brings interesting energies into play. As a matter of fact, as I finish up this book I am only a few days away from the first full moon of 2009, and coincidentally it will fall on a Saturday in my time zone. When this type of magickal Saturday/full moon scenario occurs, what you have is a big old karmic lesson theme to work with. This is a fabulous time for introspection and to consider the life lessons you are presently working through.

Saturn, the deity classically associated with this day of the week, is a figure with staying power. In today's world, he has been recast a bit as a gentle Father Time sort of figure, holding a sheaf of wheat and a tall sickle, and having a long, flowing white beard. Nevertheless, do not underestimate him or his magick.

The bottom line is Saturn can be a noble, wise, and, yes, a loving mentor-type of figure. But when the situation calls for it, he has no compunctions about firmly whacking you over the head with the handle of his sickle. Saturn teaches you about karma, and sometimes we all have to take our lumps. That's his job. And trust me, he is damn good at it. After all, he's only had all of time to perfect his technique.

So while you are sitting there and wondering why you are experiencing whatever drama you are currently going through, he'll be standing back, waiting for you to accept, to deal, to grow up, and then to learn from those life lessons that he has for you.

Saturn was originally a god of agriculture, so he knows all about the various cycles and seasons of our lives. This god can teach you to take responsibility for your actions, both mundane and magickal. He's not the deity to turn to when you want to run around and point the finger at someone else for your current situation. Instead, he can teach you perseverance and will grant you knowledge and the wisdom of self-acceptance if you only open up your heart and mind and allow his teachings to come into your life.

Understanding Karmic Lessons Spell

The following spellwork is very personal. Again, this spell is not meant to be used to place the blame on another person for your current predicament. Instead, it is a way to learn from the lessons that life likes to hand out to all of us. Sometimes we all wonder how we got sidetracked from our plans, how we got pulled into someone else's drama, or how we were misdirected from our own magickal path.

No matter who you are or how long you've been a Witch, we all will face times when we are unsure about how we got into whatever situation we are currently dealing with. The good news is that if you are willing to take an honest look at yourself and the situation, then the god Saturn will grant you some of his own wisdom. Best of all, he can truly help you to learn not to repeat the same mistake.

Regardless of how long you have been practicing your Craft, you will always have more to learn. The most powerful coven leaders, elders, and high priests and high priestesses that I know in the community are all individuals who are human. They make mistakes too. The difference is that they learn from their mistakes—and then they admit them and move forward.

The final spell of this Book of Shadows is, in fact, one of the more important ones in the entire book, because it gives you a great opportunity to grow a little as a practitioner and to gain some real understanding about yourself, the lessons of life, and your witchery.

Supplies:

• 1 black candle
  
• 1 white candle
  
• 2 coordinating candle holders
  
• A representation of the god Saturn (use a picture from the Internet or a drawing of a sickle and a sheaf of wheat)
  
• 1 stick or cone of patchouli incense (patchouli is associated with Saturn)
  
• An incense holder
  
• Matches or a lighter
  
• A safe, flat surface on which to set up the spell
  

Arrange the candles and the incense and the holder on your work surface. Set the picture of the god Saturn flat on the table, in front of the candles. Light the candles and the incense. Wave some of the scented smoke over yourself and around your working area. Return the incense to the altar. Take a few moments to ground and center yourself. This is a very important step in this spell, so don't skip this part. Take your time to become grounded and calm.

When you feel peaceful and centered, repeat the following spell verse:

Saturn's karmic lessons are enhanced by a full moon's light

Lord of Time, please grant me clarity and insight

As the moon illuminates Saturday's nighttime sky

The answers become clearer as time passes by.

Close the spell with these lines:

Let this full moon wisdom come swiftly to me
Causing no distress or harm; so mote it be.

Allow the candles and the incense to burn out in a safe place. Pay attention to your dreams and to your intuition for the next few days. See what Saturn has to teach you. Now move forward with grace, purpose, and a sense of magickal accomplishment. Blessed be.

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Closing Thoughts

E
very day is a magickal day. Just how bewitching of a day it turns out to be is completely up to you. As we've seen, there is always a way to work your magick.
Book of Witchery
is meant to inspire you and to pump you up. Get in there and try out new magick for yourself. Shake things up! Personalize and work a few new spells. Get to know the featured deities, add some tarot cards to your spellcraft, and work those daily meditations.

Dive into herbal lore and check out crystal and color magick. Make copies of the spell worksheet, and get busy! Advance your skills by teaching yourself new daily enchantments. There are plenty of magickal arts and crafts, spells, philter recipes, and advanced techniques here for you to add to your repertoire.

Now, take these daily correspondences and original ideas from this Book of Shadows, and fly with them. Be creative, and stand out as the talented magickal individual you are. Just imagine what fantastic things you can achieve every single day of the bewitching week.

You can advance your magickal skills all on your own. The longer you practice your Craft, the more experience you will gain. Half of the fun of being a Witch is growing and living with your magick. Break out a notebook, and start working on creating your own spells and charms. Take a good look at all the information that is in this book, and let it inspire you to write your own enchantments. It's a great way to learn, and it's an awesome feeling to see your own magickal skills evolve and grow. So enjoy the journey, and embrace all the life lessons you learn along the way.

Brightest blessings and best wishes on your spellwork and witchery!

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