Among The Delights Of Summer Were Picnics To The Woods.

Mabon: Autumn Equinox

To begin, let me start by saying this is the 3rd time I have to write this because Tumblr decided to refresh on me when I didn’t ask it to and so everything I wrote DISAPPEARED (fix your bugs, tumblr!) Because of that, this version my original post is going to be so half-assed now! I hate tumblr sometimes!

An equinox is a day of the year when there is equal parts day and night - light and darkness. Many people have a tendency to view this as a “versus” thing, but it’s not! It’s a day to acknowledge balance and harmony.

The fall equinox is an important day of power for many Neo-Pagans and Witches. It’s a day that some even call, “Witches’ Thanksgiving” because it’s a day where witches “reap what they sow” - literally and figuratively. That means, giving thanks to Mother Earth for providing us with the sustenance we need to survive and also acknowledging the people in our lives by expressing our gratitude and asking for forgiveness for our past transgressions (and also for forgiving others).

There are many mundane ways someone who is a witch, or Pagan, can celebrate Mabon! Here are a few examples that I can think of:

- Throw a “barnyard” party with dancing, singing/karaoke, and chanting

- Have a bonfire! (please be responsible!)

- Host a potluck or a dinner party

- Apple picking

- Go camping or take a hike

- Crochet, quilt, or knit

- Make wines, ciders, beers or butters, jams, jellies, featuring the fruits of the season

- Bake pies!

- Give back to the community and maybe volunteer at an animal shelter or food bank or host a food drive

There are also many things a witch can do to celebrate this day of power:

~ This is a good time for divination (apparently there’s something called apple divination and it sound perfect for this time of year!)

~ Protection magic also gets a boost during this time (maybe try warding?)

~ Because this day is a day of thanks, avoid asking for things on this holiday

~ Have a “Gratitude Ritual”

~ Meditation and grounding are great on this day (it’s all about finding balance and harmony)

~ Set up an altar that showcases the fall of Summer, the start of Autumn, and the soon to be here Winter; be sure to include things that you’re grateful for!

~ Have a mock sacrifice

~ This is a great day to practice and hone your kitchen magic, so take this time to learn more about sigils in baking, herbs and their medicinal and magical properties, etc.

- If you’re Neo-Pagan, take this time to talk to some different deities (focus on harvest, wine, earth and sun deities)

Important symbols:

> The colors gold, yellow, red, and orange

> Oak, ivy, Hazel, Cedar, Hops and Vines are important trees/plants to acknowledge during this time

> Scarecrows, scales, ying-yang, scythes, & haystacks are common symbols

> Wolves, dogs, foxes, and birds of prey are important symbols of this time

> Amethys, yellow topaz, and citrine are stones/ctystas associated with this holiday

> Drinks and Foods include wine, grapes, most nuts, apples, all berries, and black pepper

As always, please feel free to share your knowledge and wisdom - and feel free to ask questions - so that we can all continue to grow and prosper!

🌙 Moon Phases Masterpost 🌙

Following the moon phases and adapting my magic to their power and correspondences has been crucial to my practice. If you’re interested in connecting to the lunar cycle, here are the links to my previous posts on each moon phase. 

🌑 New Moon Magic 

🌒 Waxing Crescent Moon Magic

🌓 First Quarter Moon Magic

🌔 Waxing Gibbous Moon Magic

🌕 Full Moon Magic

🌖 Waning Gibbous Moon Magic 

🌗 Last Quarter Moon Magic

🌘 Waning Crescent Moon Magic 

My dear, listen to me.

Your witchcraft will never be like another witch's craft.

You are a unique being, a unique person with unique life expereinces.

Your path will be different, because you are different, and that is okay.

Sure-Fire Ways to Master Your Intuition

1) Scry Half Asleep

Go to a quiet place, and dim the lights.

Close your eyes and ask your higher power a question.

Pay attention to what you see. Names… numbers… faces… dates.

Once the visions stop, open your eyes and note them down.

After a few days, see if and how they manifested.

I once saw an old clock and heard the word “Praha”. I ended up being sent to Prague on a fully paid trip unexpectedly.

At first, your visions will mean nothing. They will be shallow. A McDonald’s signage… A TV commercial… This is your intuition warming up. Soon enough, it will be sprinting. As long as you keep going.

2) Designate People to Tarot

To a beginner, the characters in tarot can feel out of reach and intimidating. Bring them down to earth.

Does Strength remind you of your mother? Is she calm and fearless in the face of danger?

Does The Fool remind you of Harry Potter? Is he young and untrained, but rich in nerve and courage?

Do you see yourself in the Seven of Pentacles? Always planting seeds that are never quite ripe enough for harvest?

The next time you read tarot, you will not be seeing strangers, but people you know by heart. This is how your intuition can connect to the cards.

3) Record Your Dreams

Keep a journal on your nightstand.

The moment you wake up, write down what you remember. No matter how meaningless, no matter how strange.

Did you see yourself naked in public? Or late for class? Perhaps falling from a building? The theme here is fear.

Did you see a younger version of yourself? In a playground? Maybe eating a snack no longer sold today? The theme is nostalgia.

Analyze your own dreams. Research them further if you like.

This is you bridging the gap between your conscious and subconscious. This is you taming your intuition.

4) Know People’s Zodiac Signs

Be curious about your teachers’, superiors’ and peers’ astrological personality, even if only through their Sun sign.

Watch how the Air signs harmonize with Fire, yet clash with Earth and Water.

See how a Scorpio is quietly strong in her intensity, while an Aries is loud with his.

Life is complicated, and people are complex. But if you can understand their basic instincts, you will make fewer foes and more friends.

More importantly, your intuition will be able to warn if a person wishes you harm.

5) Devour Literature

For all the intricacies of life, every feeling that has ever been felt has already been recorded.

See movies. Read books. Really hear the words. Really watch the gestures.

Understanding characters is a step to understanding people, which ultimately leads to understanding yourself.

It will help you realize that your intuition is not some external being that is difficult to grasp. You will find that it and you have always been one right from the start.

My embroideries - Instagram

Taylor Swift - All Too Well (10 minute version)

“And did the twin flame bruise paint you blue?”

A Collection of Witch Tips Masterpost

Note: These are a collection of tips found in various places on the internet. While some of these are my own, they do not all belong to me.

•Mix together Salt and Pepper and sprinkle to prevent trespassing •Add coffee to a bath to break a curse •Place sachets of dried rosemary around the home for protection •Sprinkle around garlic powder to keep evil at bay •Add lime to your water for protection •Carry a clove with you for courage •Mint attracts business - try hanging a sprig above the door to your private workspace •Place a sprig of thyme under your pillow to bring about prophetic dreams •Hang a braid of garlic in a sickroom to trap the negative energies •Put a vial of rosemary water in a sickroom to promote healing •Stash an onion beneath a sickbed to soak up wandering negative and harmful energies •Seaweed can be used to ward off evil spirits •Scatter dried or fresh chilli peppers to break a curse •Throwing rice into the air promotes rain •Lilacs rid unwanted spirits •Black Obsidian is great for scrying •Stitch sigils into clothes, blankets, etc •Too Cold outside to storm call? Storm calling / weather magick will work just fine when facing your window and looking out •When showering, imagine all the impurities and negativity being washed off you by the water, and down into the drain •The Fae enjoy sweets as offerings the most •Wear your pendulum as a necklace when on the go •Use amethyst crystals to recharge your energies. Left Hand - Out with the old. Right hand - In with the New. •Soups and stews not only are great for healing the body, but they have many magickal properties too! •Himalayan pink salt can get seriously expensive. Unless you plan on eating it, buy Himalayan Pink Bath Salts. They’re so much cheaper and you can buy them in even larger bags. •Use coffee filters and elastic bands to make the perfect bath bags •Use sea salt when sweeping the floor to soak up the negative energies and cleanse your home •Store your Black Salt in a dark glass jar, away from sunlight.

Feel free to add all you like to this list and share it. Once again, I do not own every piece of information within this post. It is a collection of knowledge found from multiple sources. Blessed Be Dearies!

Brigid