Showing posts with label Blue Moon Circle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blue Moon Circle. Show all posts

Friday, May 1, 2020

Happy Beltane

It's May 1st (what the heck happened to March and April?!). A new month, and a new start, hopefully with better times on the way.

It's also May Day and Beltane, for those who celebrate. Normally, this would mean getting together with Blue Moon Circle for a ritual and feast, but of course, this year we can't gather together. It makes me sad, but I have lots of wonderful memories of Beltanes past, and hope for future holidays when things are back to (sort of) normal.

In the meanwhile, I hope that you have a blessed day, and if you don't celebrate, that the blossoming of May Day lifts your spirits. Thank you for spending another month with me.


This was from Beltane a couple of years ago. I might have a tiny solitary Beltane bonfire later...if it ever stops raining.

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Happy Beltane!

Happy Beltane to those of you who celebrate! (And happy May Day to all). I hope you get to dance and rejoice with the coming of spring.

I'm looking forward to going to a slightly belated celebration this Saturday, given by the Binghamton Pagan community about an hour away. I won't be able to stay for the ritual, which is fairly late at night, but my friend Ellen and I will at least be going for the Women's Mysteries and the Maypole dance. Then we'll head over to our Blue Moon Circle sister Robin's house nearby for dinner with her, her hubby, and my beloved goddesschildren Nate and Sophie.

The weather even looks like it might cooperate!

This is from one of the first Beltane celebrations we went to there way back in 2007. I can't believe that was 12 years ago! Or that, as of spring equinox this year Blue Moon Circle has been in existence--in one form or another--since 2004. How time flies when you are having magical fun...

I hope you have magical fun today and all days.


Monday, April 30, 2018

Beltane Birthday Celebration


My birthday was on Saturday, and I mostly celebrated it by celebrating something else. Beltane (May Day) to be specific. The current core three members of Blue Moon Circle drove about 45 minutes to Robin's house to "get the band back together" for the day. (Robin was one of the original members and is still a part of the group, but lives far away enough and is so busy, it is hard for us all to get together often.) She and my goddess-daughter Sophie wrote and put on the ritual--I told them my gift was being able to just relax and take part, instead of having to organize and put it on. Then we had a wonderful feast, along with Robin's husband George and son Nate. I got a few cool gifts (gemstones! beer made by monks!) and Robin baked me a birthday honey cake topped with lavender and rose petals to go with Chris's home made ice cream. The rain even held off until we were done. It was a lovely day. (And then I come home and worked on revisions, of course.) Plus, we realized it was the 14 year anniversary of the first ritual we all did together, which was pretty amazing!

Some of my favorite people

Ellen with pal Bailey

Sophie and her new kitten, Chris and her knitting

The ritual by the firepit

Our crafty Beltane pots we made and blessed for each other

Birthday honey cake

Corn for the feast!

Yum!

Nate and Sophie!

Me and my favorite kids

Our traditional GRRRR picture
Presents and a cute card (inside is says something about gray hair making you cute)

Blue agate wind chimes

more gemstones
I also got lots of lovely birthday wishes on Facebook and Twitter--thank you!

Friday, August 12, 2016

A Visit from a Long Lost Friend


Okay--she wasn't actually lost. We knew right where she was. But it wasn't here. My friend Kathy, who inspired the fire tower watcher in Wickedly Powerful (and did an amazing job of answering questions about how the whole thing worked, so Sam was as realistic as I could make him) lived here 8-9 years ago. She was a beloved member of Blue Moon Circle, and we all pined when she left to return to Arizona to help out her daughters and grandchildren (and spend some summers up in the fire tower in Wyoming). The last trip she took out here was five years ago, which was WAY too long a time.

Recently, she came back for a two-week visit, staying with me and hanging out with me and a bunch of other Blue Moon Circle peeps. She spent a lot of time bird watching (adding 9 new birds to her lifetime list, some of whom I STILL haven't seen), and we talking (er...ranted) politics, and watched movies, and had BBQs. We even did a Lammas ritual that got some of the gang together again. It was lovely. I couldn't have asked for a nicer house guest or a better two weeks. Even if I didn't get nearly as much work done while she was here, of course. Here are a few pictures from our time together:

Meet Kathy!

She helped out in the garden, since she missed having one, and my knee still doesn't kneel.

Chris and Kathy chatting on the back deck in the evening.

BBQ at Chris's house. She made ribs in the smoker. OMG

Bobbie, Kathy, Chris, and Robin

I have no idea what was wrong with my face in this picture! Maybe I was thinking about her leaving again, since this was her last day.
I hope she doesn't wait another five years for her next visit. The guest bedroom awaits you, Kathy!

Sunday, March 20, 2016

A Spring Equinox Ritual: Creating a Charm Bag for Energy, Creativity, and Abundance

A friend asked me to make her a charm to increase her physical and creative energy, and I thought, "Man, I need one of those too." And then I thought, "And the Spring Equinox is the prefect time to tap into that kind of energy," so I made it part of Blue Moon Circle's ritual, which we did earlier today.

Then it occurred to me that some other folks might find this useful too, so here it is. As always, if you don't have some (or even most) of the supplies, you can substitute things you do have that feel right to you, or just do without. The reason I threw in SO many ingredients, more than I usually do, is because I needed this to be uber-powerful. And it was.

Happy Ostara, folks!




Spring Equinox Ritual
Energy, Creativity & Prosperity Charm Bag

Supplies: Quarter candles, god/goddess candles, small containers of salt & water & small bowl, sage smudge stick, cakes & ale, matches
Plus: [one each for each person taking part]
Medium sized bag—mesh, silk, leather, fabric, or whatever suits your fancy
GEMSTONES – Amber (good fortune, strength, healing, heightens magical work), Amethyst (healing, happiness, de-stressor/lifts spirits, sharpens the mind), Aventurine (healing, prosperity, creativity), Tiger-eye (prosperity, strength, confidence). Use as many as desired.
HERBS – Cinnamon (stick form is easiest, energy, creativity, success, healing), Rosemary (energy, healing, sharpens the mind), Sage (protection, wisdom, lends power to wishes)
A piece of paper & a pen – I like to use pastel colors for spring, and if you can find them, paper imbedded with seeds (I found a wrapping paper in pastel colors with seeds in it, to plant later)
Optional, to represent the powers of the elements – a feather (air, also creativity), salt (I like to use chunks of sea salt, earth, grounding, purification), shell (water, potential), a tiny candle (I used a small purple beeswax rolled candle; beeswax for prosperity and energy, purple for creativity and spirit)
Optional – magical oil (I used a homemade energy/strength oil made from cinnamon, ginger, lemon, and orange—but any oil for energy or creativity or prosperity will do)

Pass sage, salt and water to purify circle.
Call quarters. Invoke god and goddess:
“Great Brigid, Bright Lady, we gather at your cauldron for wisdom and bounty, in celebration of the joyous spring. Be with us now and send us your gifts of creativity, energy, and growth. So mote it be!”
“Great Herne, Lord of the Beasts, we welcome back your creatures to the greening world, and rejoice at your return. Send us your gifts of strength, prosperity, and abundance. So mote it be!”

Today is the beginning of spring and the time for new growth is upon us. May the start of the light half of the year bring inspiration to our spirits and hearts. Today is also a day of balance between light and dark, when we release winter's frozen immobility in favor of growth and new energy.
This makes it the perfect time to recharge our physical and spiritual bodies, which are often left drained by the cold and dark of winter, as well as the never-ending hustle and bustle of our own busy lives. We will tap into the energy of spring, full of abundance and growth, and use that potential to create a charm bag that will increase our spiritual, physical, and creative energies, while also bringing prosperity and abundance in positive and helpful ways.

On the paper, write your desires for the seasons to come—start with energy, creativity, and prosperity, if those are your goals, and then add anything else you want. Into the bag, place the gemstone(s) and herbs, focusing on their properties as you work. If using the extras to represent the elements, add those, speaking their names and powers out loud if you wish. Tuck the paper inside and anoint with magical oil, if using. Consecrate the charm bag by holding it over each element’s candle (away from the flame) and say, “I consecrate this magical charm for energy, creativity, and prosperity (or your goals) with the power of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.” Then hold it over the god/goddess candles and say, “I consecrate this magical charm with the power of the god and goddess, for the good of all, and according to the free will of all. May it work for my benefit from this day forward. So mote it be.”

If desired, raise energy and direct it toward your magical working by chanting or drumming.
Blue Moon Circle used this simple chant: “Earth my body, Water my blood, Air my breath, and Fire my spirit.” Then say the following spell:
Spring energy flies through the air on the wings of the birds and the freshening breeze
And flows up from the ground with the blooming flowers and greening grass
May this energy be mine. May this power for creation be mine. May this abundance be mine.
So mote it be.

Cakes and ale:"I ask you now Shining Deities, to give of your many blessings. I call forth your gifts into these cakes. May your energy infuse this food, and thus infuse me with your magic."
"Make sacred the liquid within this chalice. Put into it your light and love. Into it pour your blessings to me. Within me may your gifts shine bright!" 
Pass speaking stick. Dismiss the quarters. Thank the gods.
I thank the lovely Shining Ones for their gifts and many blessings. Herne and Brigit, I thank you again and again. To the ancestors and spirits of nature who have also joined us this day, I thank you! And I thank as well the Earth Mother, Gaia, for this land, your bounty, and my body, the vehicle through which I am able to give you honor.
Place your charm bag on your altar, or wherever it will be safe and nearby.


Monday, September 21, 2015

Magickal Monday: A Mabon Spell for Balance


Mabon, or the Autumnal Equinox, falls on Wednesday September 23rd this year. The equinox is only one of two days during the year, the other being the Spring Equinox (which will happen on this day in the Southern Hemisphere), when there is an equal amount of night and day. This makes these holidays the perfect time to work on magick for balance in our lives. I don't know about you, but this is an issue I struggle with all the time.

Here is the spell that I wrote for Blue Moon Circle to use during our ritual. Maybe you will find it helpful too.



Mabon Spell for Balance

Great goddess and great god
Please send me balance in my life
Send me order to balance chaos
Sweet peace to balance strife
Help me to have focus and energy
But also quiet and restful times to recharge
Let there be love and laughter in my life
Prosperity and abundance
And light to balance out the darkness
Send me faith and patience and kindness
And help me to find balance in my place in the world,
In my relationships with others
And within myself
So mote it be

Happy Autumn!

Magic the Cat, waiting for the feast to start.

Spaghetti squash out of my garden, topped with homemade pesto, tomatoes, walnuts, and cheese. YUM!


Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Samhain/Halloween Giveaway!


For many people, their biggest holidays of the year are things like Christmas or Thanksgiving. I don't actually celebrate Christmas, and I don't do much for Thanksgiving now that most of my family lives so far away. Instead, my biggest holiday is Samhain, known to many as Halloween.

 For Pagans, this is a significant day--sometimes called the Witch's New Year. It is both the end of the old year and the beginning of the new, and so it can be somewhat bittersweet. We let go of the past, say goodbye to those we have lost, speak to our ancestors...and embrace our witchy roots. Then we open ourselves to the possibilities of the year to come.

At my house, I'll be celebrating with Blue Moon Circle. We will have a deeper, more solemn ritual than usual...hopefully around a bonfire outside, if the weather cooperates. Then we'll come in and feast, of course!

I can't invite you to the feast, but I can invite you to help me celebrate by sharing a Samhain/Halloween Prize Pack with one lucky winner. (US only, I'm afraid, but as always, if you are outside the US, feel free to enter and if you win, I'll send you something cool and lightweight.)

Look what Mystic put together!
Samhain Prize Pack--Cat not included




There's a cute Halloween goodie bag, a copy of EITHER The Witch's Broom or one of the last remaining print copies of Circle, Coven & Grove (winner's choice), a little black cat, and a broom pen. Plus a little Halloween candy, of course.

It is easy to enter. You can tweet about the contest, share it on Facebook, or, join this blog (look to the left). For extra points, you can buy a copy of either book (obviously, you'll have to get the ebook version of CC&G, since the print one isn't available anymore) and/or leave a NEW review of any of my books. Heck, you get four points just for commenting here, and telling me what you like best about this time of year. So what are you waiting for? Let's celebrate!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Sunday, June 22, 2014

A Solstice Celebration & The Messy Mudroom Mission

Saturday was a wonderful day. The weather was perfect (a rarity in NY state) and Blue Moon Circle had a fabulous water-themed Summer Solstice ritual together, followed by a lovely feast. I spent the rest of the day resting, then doing some writing on the new novel I'm working on, interspersed with reading a fab short story my mother wrote, and doing some editing on that. Then we emailed back and forth about it, which was also lovely. All in all, an unusually pleasant and relaxed day.
I finally figured out how to put up pictures of the witchy gang while still preserving everyone's privacy :-)

Angel food cake with fresh local strawberries and homemade whipped cream. Yum.
 I was going to take a lazy day on Sunday--the plan was to relax and write, and not do much else. But then I woke up with more energy than usual (probably thanks to the ritual the day before) and the urge to Get Something Done. So I called my wonderful friend Ellen (who will work for wine, bless her) and asked her if she could come over and help me finally tackle the messy mudroom.

You have to understand that, over the course of the last year or so, I have cleaned and cleared almost every room in the house--getting rid of clutter and stuff I don't need any more, reorganizing and neatening what was left. The only room left is one upstairs (which was the craft/crap room, and is now going to be mostly storage...as soon as I finish sorting through the last bunch o' crap). And the mudroom. Oy.

I'd done part of the mudroom too--reorganized the shelf where all the tools and nails and electrical bits live. But the rest of it was still pretty much a disaster, including loads of cobwebs (the spiders seem to love it out there) and some rodent droppings in awkward places. It was so overwhelming, I kept putting off dealing with it. But it is the space people enter and leave the house through, and that's about the worst space to still be a mess.

Here's what it looked like when we started:



Most of that stuff actually needed to be in there, but boy, was it a mess. So we literally took everything out (except the washer, dryer, and freezer, and the one shelf unit I'd already done, which is to my left as I took the picture). Everything. The shelves got washed off, the floors and walls got swept (I lost count of giant spiders at about a dozen...but there might have been some girly shrieking from time to time as I stumbled across yet another one), and the ragged old plastic taken off the window.
 Look! The walls are yellow! (That's Ellen, heretofore to be referred to as Saint Ellen.)

Then we rearranged the shelves into a placement that worked better and made the room look larger and less cluttered, and put All the Things BACK. (Except for the two bags of garbage we collected in the process.) This is what it looks like now:




It makes me so happy--I keep walking out there to look at it. I can find everything, get at the stuff I need to (like the step stool in corner by the freezer that was impossible to reach), and it is CLEAN. Happy sigh. All that's left to do is go out there with a sage smudge wand and give it a little extra boost.

I gave Ellen a bottle of wine (and let her do two loads of laundry while we were working, since she doesn't have a laundry room) along with my undying gratitude. And then took a nap after she left. Man, that was a lot of work. But so worth it, since it is now a pleasant space for people to enter and leave by. Much better energy by far, not to mention just plain nicer to look at.

The rest of the day is going to revert to my original plan of relaxing and writing, along with some leftovers from yesterday, and maybe even a glass of wine. I think I earned it, don't you?

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