Live Witchcraft Class and Full Moon Ritual

As some of you might already know, I started a Patreon page a couple of months ago, and one of the rewards (at the $25/month level) is a live class on various witchcraft topics. (This is a pretty good deal, when you consider that back in the days when I gave online classes--which weren't done by video-chat, so they were way less personal or interactive--they often cost at least that much. And you didn't even get to watch a cat wander in and out of the screen...)

I'm going to be doing a special edition this month, on Wednesday January 31st at 7:30 PM est, in case you were curious about it or thinking of joining in. Wednesday is a big day: it's a super moon, a blue moon, and a total lunar eclipse, all at the same time. To give you some idea of how rare this is, the last time there was a total eclipse during a blue moon (the 2nd full moon to fall in a month) was 1866! So not only is there going to be a class segment, I will also be doing an actual live ritual (albeit a simple one, since I will be sitting in front of a computer). The ritual will focus on coming out of the darkness and into the light. Since this theme works for Imbolc as well, if you can't tune in during the class, you can use the ritual for Imbolc instead. (For those who are at this level, the video is always available later in case they aren't around during the time the class is live. Considering we have people in multiple countries and time zones, this is always going to be an issue, alas.)

To follow me on Patreon, you can go here and check it out. There are a variety of support levels, including $1 and $3 levels for folks who just want to be supportive but don't have much of a budget, as well as levels that get you rewards like a spell a month, or snippets of my works in progress, and much more. (There is even a level that can get you a live tarot reading every month or help with your own writing!) Plus exclusive cat pictures, of course. Mostly, Patreon is a way to support the artists/authors/creative folks you like, so they can keep on doing what they're doing. And believe me, we appreciate it.

Check out my Patreon page here: https://www.patreon.com/deborahblake

I hope some of you will join me at this once-in-a-lifetime class!

IN OTHER NEWS:
I've been working hard on the third Rider book, DANGEROUSLY FIERCE. Expect some big announcements soon!

Meet Harry Dresden

As you know, I lost my beloved brother and sister cats, Mystic and Magic, within nine days of each other recently. To say that I am grieving would be a huge understatement. My house, which until a few years ago, had five cats in it, only had one. Not only was poor Angus not made to be an only cat (he has always been with other cats, first at the shelter and then here, and was often curled up on the bed with his buddy Mystic), but I was pretty sure they were going to kick me out of the Crazy Cat Lady Union.

Normally, I wait a bit longer to get a new cat after losing one, but the house was SO DAMNED EMPTY. After Magic died, I had already started looking for new cats, although at the time I had planned to wait until after Mystic was gone, not realizing that would happen so soon.

I happened across a cool local rescue organization called Super Heroes in Ripped Jeans when  my friend Ellen and I were at the mall one day and they were there with a bunch of cats. These folks do spay and neuter and find foster homes for both cats and dogs until they can be adopted. They're completely made up of volunteers and funded by donations. So I thought I might look for a cat with them instead of the shelter, when it came time. After I lost Magic, I looked at their pictures of adoptable cats on Facebook and saw a little 4 1/2 month old guy named Ocean. He was black, and the ocean IS my happy place, and I had asked Magic before she died to help me find my next kitties. So I went to go visit him at his foster home.

He ran around for a while with the other kittens there, and then tried to get into the pocket of my coat where it was lying on the floor. His foster mom Kristen and I joked that he was trying to go home with  me already. I explained to her that I really wasn't sure what was happening with Mystic, and I had another couple of cats to see that my friend Nancy had found, so I couldn't promise to take him. But it looked pretty possible, since he was a very sweet boy.

Then he came over, sat on my lap, and promptly fell asleep. I know when I've been chosen.

So cute!

 Here is a picture of me with him. I look terrible, because I'd been weeping for days. But he looks cute.

When I had to put Mystic to sleep the following Friday, the house was so unbearably lonely and empty, I actually went and picked up the then-named Ocean that evening. Luckily, I had already been approved for adoption.

He has been adjusting well, all things considered. He's a bit mouthy, and has a tendency to get into trouble, but he is also sweet as can be and there is no one you would rather have by your side when you're feeling sad. So in keeping with the magical theme of the household, and in honor of one of my favorite fictional wizards, he has been named Harry Dresden.

In the office

Angus spent the first few days hissing and running away, but they are slowly getting used to each other. I think it is going to work out.

Oh, okay.

Harry Dresden turned five months old on the fifteenth, and it is um, interesting, getting used to all that wild young energy after having a house full of older cats for so long. He has two seven month old companions who will be joining him at the beginning of February from a different rescue organization (seriously-- Crazy Cat Lady Union rules!) and hopefully they'll all wear each other out.

In the meanwhile, say hello to Harry!

Mystic the Magnificent

It has been a rough week. I lost Mystic yesterday, nine days after his sister. He'd been fighting lymphoma since March and had already been going downhill. Once we lost Magic, he stopped eating almost entirely. When I brought him in on Friday, his weight was down to 9.3 lbs (from 16.8 originally--he was a BIG cat) and my vet said it was time. But it was SO hard to let him go too.

I'll be back with more cheerful news soon, I promise.

Magical Monday: Anxiety Spell

I often get requests for spells and other magical advice and tidbits. Just this week, one of my readers sent me a message on Facebook saying that she needed a house blessing for her new home, but she had already packed all her books. She wanted to know if I could help.

Anyone who has been around here for more than a couple of weeks can probably guess that my answer was, "Congratulations on your new home! And yes, of course I can." I sent her a copy of the house blessing and consecration spell out of my second Llewellyn book, Everyday Witch A to Z Spellbook.

But then it occurred to me that since I got these questions fairly often, other people might enjoy a weekly dose of magic. So I declare today to be the first Magical Monday, and I will try to post something witchy every Monday. We'll see how it goes. It may not be a spell. We'll see. And hopefully those who aren't magically inclined will still get something out of these, whether it is an idea for a prayer or spiritual practice (remember that just because something is "magical" doesn't mean it can't be helpful for someone who isn't a witch) or even a story or character idea for the authorly folks who visit here. I'd love some feedback, to tell me if y'all are finding these helpful, entertaining, or you know, not.

Today we're going to start with another spell from the Everyday Witch A to Z Spellbook--this one is for anxiety. Let's face it, most of us deal with anxiety in one form or another, whether it is brought on by work, our home life, money worries, or something else. Me, I'm afraid of thunderstorms, and one is moving into my area, so I'm feeling more than a little anxious. (I know, I know, lots of people love them. I'm not one of them. The energy makes me twitch like crazy, and I know too many people who have had direct hits to their houses, including my parents and my best friend. If you enjoy them, all the more power to you!)

I hope this spell is helpful for whatever it is that makes you anxious.

Goal: Dealing with and lessening anxiety

Optional extras: White candle, lavender, lemon balm or calendula essential oil, rose quartz tumbled stone or pendant

Notes: Calendula is an especially good oil for calming anxiety. It can be quite expensive, but a little bit goes a long way, and if you have ongoing issues you may want to keep some on hand. If you wear jewelry, try finding a rose quartz necklace or pendant that “feels” right to you. You can anoint both the candle and the pendant or stone with whichever oil or oils you chose.

Take a deep breath and light the candle. Spend however much time you need focusing on the flame and your breathing until you feel calm and peaceful. Then say the spell slowly, envisioning yourself surrounded by a glowing light filled with serenity. After doing the spell, wear or carry the rose quartz whenever you are feeling particularly anxious.

Let calm flow in like waves of water

With each breath in, with each breath out

Let tension ease like ropes unknotted

In magick’s light there is no doubt

The goddess wrap her cloak around me

Loving warmth and reassurance

That all will happen as it must

Gifting me with calm endurance

No more worries, no more stress

My burdens lie on stronger shoulders

I release anxiety’s weight

Turn into pebbles what seemed like boulders

Faith is mine and strength is mine

The love of those who stay unseen

Let calm flow in with every breath

I am grounded and serene

 

A Day at the Faerie Fest

One of my favorite days of the year is the day I spend at the NY Faerie Festival in Ouaquaga, NY (right outside of Binghamton in the middle of some beautiful countryside). The Faerie Fest was started by some local folks from the Binghamton Pagan and musical community five years ago, and I've made it there for 4 years out of 5. I always have a blast. Of course, part of that is because the Faerie Fest is located just down the road from where my wonderful friends Robin and George live, along with my goddess-children Sophie (now 7) and Nate (6). So every year, my pal Ellen and I make a pilgrimage to the Festival, accompanied by Robin and the kids.

These are a few of the things we saw, experienced, and enjoyed:
All sorts of entertainment, including a parade with the Queen of Faerie and her court, a dragon, and lots of great music...

One of the highlights for me was getting to see one of my favorite New York State bands, Frenchy and the Punk

 Lots of hard work and imagination meant that everywhere you looked, you saw something clever and magical in the woods.

This guy was actually overhead, up in a tree!

 We bumped into Patsy, one of the Blue Moon Circle ladies. She and Karen are involved in the event, and Karen's guy Glen actually owns the beautiful piece of land the event takes place on.

The kids had a blast wading in the creek (there were mermaids in the creek too, but they were on break while we were down there).

 Can you tell we were having a good time?

Another bonus was getting to meet Dawn Hunt, the author of a great little magical cook book and creator of her own yummy line of magical cooking oils and other goodies. (Yes, of course I brought some home with me!)

 

And LOOK! I found a little Chudo-Yudo! 

(The white pit bull/dragon in disguise from WICKEDLY DANGEROUS)

The weather was absolutely gorgeous, the company was great, and I really enjoyed having a rare day to just relax and have fun. If you ever get the chance, you should go. It's magical!

Ellen, me, Nate, and Sophie at the end of the day--tired but happy.

Blue Moon Circle--Ten Years of Magic

Yesterday, Sunday the 23rd, Blue Moon Circle celebrated the Spring Equinox for the tenth time as a group. It is hard to believe that it was on this holiday, in March of 2004, that I first gathered with the core members and various Pagan and Pagan-friendly friends to hold our first ritual together.

Ten years on, Blue Moon Circle is both the same and different. Some people have been with the group from the beginning, and others have come and go. Our practice is changing and growing, but is still centered on nature, goddess (and god), and positive forward movement in our own lives. One thing that hasn't changed is our love and dedication to each other. Blue Moon Circle has always been as much a family as it is a spiritual group.

I can't even begin to say how much this group has impacted my own life. There is the obvious, of course--without them, I probably would never have ended up writing Circle, Coven & Grove: A Year of Magickal Practice, and therefore all the books on witchcraft that followed. But more than that, leading this group has brought such love and learning and grace to my life, I can't imagine the last ten years without them. I hope that I am lucky enough to spend the next ten years in their company.

Happy anniversary, Blue Mooners. You bring magic to me life, and I am grateful.

A Full Moon Ritual

As you know, I have a new book out, Everyday Witch Book of Rituals. I thought for this Friday (since the full moon is coming up on Sunday), I'd give you a taste of the book. So here is the September full moon ritual from the new one! I hope you enjoy it.

SEPTEMBER: The Beat Goes On

Pagans have been using drums since the beginning of time for connection with the gods and with each other. Almost every culture in every country has some kind of drum or percussion instrument, from rattles to hollow logs, to ornate carved drums with heads made from the skins of sacred animals.

The beat of the drum mimics the beat of the human heart, as well as the living pulse of the world around us. It can connect us with spirit, draw us deep within to help us find the path to our inner journeying, and take a scattered group of strangers and turn them into a cohesive and connected whole. It can sooth and create trance states or inflame our bodies in a frenzy of passion. There is much power in drumming, whether done on your own or in a group.

The purpose of this drumming ritual is simple: to connect us with our ancestors—the Pagan folk who went before us—and to connect us with our own inner wisdom and the power and pulse of the universe around us. If you chose to do this ritual with others, it will connect you with them as well.

If you don’t have a drum, you can use a drumming recording and clap your hands or stomp your feet instead. But I believe you will find this traditional Pagan activity so addictive, you will almost certainly want to get a drum of your own.

Tools needed:

·        A drum (any kind—you can even make your own from materials you find around the house, although the sound from home-made drums is rarely as deep and rich as that from a real drum) or a drum CD if you don’t have a drum

·        Sage smudge stick

Before starting:

This is as simple a ritual as there is. You don’t need to cast a circle, unless you want to. Simply sit outside under the full moon, or inside in a darkened, comfortable space if you can’t be outside, and open your heart and spirit to the beat of the drum.

  

 Cleanse yourself before starting by wafting the sage over your body. You can sage your drum as well if you wish.

 Hold the drum loosely in your hands and close your eyes. Feel the moon overhead, and sense the presence of the goddess. Reach back through history and think of all those other folks whose hands beat upon a drum—hands of different colors, and sizes and shapes, but all with the same intent as you have on this night.

Start beating the drum slowly (you can leave your eyes closed or open them) or start the music and begin clapping. As you drum, feel the echo of your drumbeats in the rhythm of the world around you. Feel your heart beating in time with the drum and matching the pulse of the natural world beneath you. If you are drumming with others, reach out your inner senses to feel them too. As you beat the drum faster, you can sense the beating of the goddess’s heart, filling and surrounding you. Go as fast or slow as feels right to you, feeling the beat of your drum carrying your spirit out into the universe to connect with everything.

When you are ready, slow down your drumming gradually until you are only beating once or twice a minute, then stop and take a deep breath. Come back to the mundane world, but take a moment to internalize that feeling of connection, so you can carry it inside yourself from this point onward.

Magic’s Mischief, Meddling, and Merriment—

To go a step beyond, try attending a local drumming group. These can be found in many areas and even those which are not specifically Pagan can help you connect with that primal energy.

Two Men I Love: Recommended Reading

A quick reminder: the next online witchcraft class, "Witchcraft on a Shoestring," starts next Monday, August 27th. Registration closes on the 26th at 6 PM EST, and the class is starting to fill up. I hope to see a few of you there Witchcraft/Writing Workshop blog

I have a stack of books I want to put up in a Recommended Reading post (long overdue), but I just finished reading two that particularly knocked my socks off, so I thought I'd put them up in one post right away, since they just came out.

I realized some time ago that I seem to read a lot more women authors than men. I've never counted, but I'm guessing it is at least 65/35...maybe more. I'm not sure why this is, really. I do have some male authors I have been reading for years, like the late Dick Francis (British mysteries) and the fabulous Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files). And then there are the two men I am currently madly in love with [don't tell their wives!]--

Alex Bledsoe and Jim C. Hines

If you are a regular reader here, you have probably seen me mention Alex before. I even put up a picture of Magic the Cat hogging the new book when it first arrived that blog post. He is an incredibly imaginative and original writer, with a number of different series out, but my favorite has always been his Eddie LeCrosse books. Eddie is a sword jockey--like a cross between a 50's private detective and a sword and sorcery hero. His adventures started with The Sword-Edged Blonde and continue with his 4th Eddie book, Wake of the Bloody Angel. There are pirates (including a mostly-retired pirate queen who is one of the best female protagonists I've seen in years), monsters, and mystery...as well as Eddie's unconventional and enduring love story. This was undeniably the best of them all: gripping, funny, and smart. You're going to want to read this book.

Jim C. Hines is another one with a couple of different series. I adored his Princess series, with kick-ass heroines based on fairy tale princesses like Snow White (but not like any Disney princess you've ever seen, I promise you!). He just started a new "Magic Ex Libris" series, beginning with LIBRIOMANCER in which the hero is a magic user and a librarian. Oh, man--you had me at librarian! This book sucked me in from the first page and didn't let go until I finally put it down at 2 in the morning. (*shakes fist at Jim*) This is another one that featured a female side-protagonist who was completely original, likeable, and fascinating. Hines creates an entire world of magical use involving books; it is unlike anything I've ever read before and will appeal to the reader-geek in everyone. I can't wait for the next book in this series, and to find out what happens with the...er...unconventional love affair that was revealed at the end of this one. I'd give this book six stars, if I could. 

So here are two more books I can recommend highly. What are you reading now that you recommend?

Using Magic to Fuel Your Writing

My name is Deborah Blake and my blog is called “Writing the Witchy Way.”
There are a couple of reasons for that. The most obvious reasons have to do with the fact that I am a practicing witch (don’t worry—I haven’t turned an editor into a toad in years) and have published five nonfiction books on the topic of modern witchcraft. And witches show up in my fiction more often than not. For instance, my urban fantasy series features a protagonist who is a witch-cop who talks to dead crime victims.
I also teach a few popular online writing classes, including one called “Witchcraft for the Paranormal Author,” in which I help writers learn how to write witch characters without putting in a lot of misinformation.
But that’s not really why I gave the blog that name. In truth, it has to do with magic.
You see, I believe in magic. Not just fairy tale magic—although I like fairy tales, and their modern retellings. Real life magic that comes from within and doesn’t require an enchanted wand or an eccentric godmother. This belief affects my writing, and I’m guessing that my writing also affects this belief. So let’s talk about magic, shall we?
Modern witches—including Wiccans, who are a specific subset of a wider group—practice a nature-based religion, based in part on ancient practices and added on to through the last sixty or so years by many modern interpretations. There is a huge variety of practices and beliefs, but one of the things that we all have in common is the acceptance of magic as a genuine force in the universe. How this force is tapped into and used is a source for much debate (oh, who am I kidding—within the modern witchcraft community, EVERYTHING is a source for much debate), but we all acknowledge its existence
So what is magic, and how can you, as an author, tap into it and use it to add joy to your writing, fulfillment to your life, and maybe even use it to give your writing career a boost?
First of all, don’t worry—you don’t have to be a witch to work with magic. In fact, you probably already do so, in little ways you might not think of using that term.
There is the little everyday magic, for instance, that most writers use as fuel for their writing. Birdsong in an otherwise silent morning, the laughter of a child at play, the way your cat seems to know just when you need to be comforted—to me, these are tiny fragments of magic, free-floating like motes in the summer sunshine. Good writers use this everyday magic in two ways: they tuck away little snippets to be used later in just the right scene, and they allow the gift of these precious moments to feed their souls, so that they can keep going, and keep writing.
Writing can come from many places, including frustration, anger, and grief. But it should also come from joy, and these small bits of magic can keep that joy flowing through your heart and mind and out onto the page.
And then there is the other kind of magic—the purposeful kind, where you set out to accomplish something by tapping into the force of the universe that, for lack of a better word, we call magick (with a k, so you know it from the regular kind). Witches tend to see this energy as something that is out there, available to anyone who wants it and can figure out how to utilize it. Think of it like a scientific principle that no one has been able to prove. People used to think of gravity as nonsense, until Newton changed the way we looked at the world. Magic is like that.
Witches believe that magic is real, and can be used to create positive change in the world. Part of this belief has to do with the Law of Returns: what you put out is what you get back. [No, THE SECRET didn’t invent this concept, and it isn’t actually a secret. Sigh.] In order to do this, we use three things: intent, focus, and will.
Intent is what you want to accomplish. For instance, say you want more time for writing. You will want to make sure you have your intent clear. After all, you don’t want to get more time for writing because you’re laid up with a broken leg, or because you lost a job you loved. (Losing a job you didn’t love, now, that’s another issue…) So you may ended up deciding that your actual intent is to create more time in your life for writing, in a positive way, without reducing your income or having a negative effect on your relationships . Or something like that. It will vary from person to person.
Then comes focus. Focus is what directs that intent out into the universe in a meaningful way. Witches create focus through ritual, which can be as simple as a walk through a sacred wood or as complicated as casting a circle, calling in the elements, invoking a goddess, lighting candles and incense, beating a drum or chanting, and then saying a spell. But you don’t have to do any of that, if it doesn’t work for you. You can take a bath and light a white candle you have etched with the thing you desire. You can meditate. You can even just pray or ask for help.
Your will is what sends your intent out, once you have focused it. The reason we use focus is to get the most power out of our will. Let’s face it—most of us spend much of our time running around like crazy, doing things for others, and feeling pretty scattered and pulled in different directions. It can be hard to focus your will under those circumstances. That’s why witches use ritual; it puts them in a different mental state, removing them from the worries and distractions of normal life, so they can truly focus on what they want.
Once you have your intent in mind, have built your focus as much as possible, and have every ounce of your will behind it, then you send it out into the universe. Ta da! You’ve done magick.
Will it work every time? Of course not. Will it work right away, in exactly the form you expected? Maybe, maybe not. But sometimes magick works in ways you least expect and brings you even more than you’d asked for. And if nothing else, it might give you something new to write about. And that’s the best magic of all.


PS--Don't forget my "Writing Success" spell in Everyday Witch A to Z Spellbook.

Sunday Spells

My next book, EVERYDAY WITCH A TO Z SPELLBOOK, is coming out in July (*dances with joy*). So I thought I would start giving everyone a little taste of what's in it, by sharing a spell on a Sunday each month.

I know that I--like many folks--am always striving to bring more balance into my life. So I thought I'd start with a Balance Spell. You'll note that each spell has instructions and "Optional Extras." These are tools you can use to boost the energy of the spell if you want to...but they are just that, optional.

I hope that some of you will find at least one or two of these spells helpful. I'm open to requests, too. If there is something you need a spell for, feel free to say so in the comment section. And if there's one in the book, I'll post it an a Sunday over the next couple of months.

Thanks for stopping by for a spell :-)


Balance



Goal: To bring balance to an off-kilter life or situation

Optional Extras: Four items to represent Earth, Air, Fire and Water (for instance, a rock, a feather, a small candle and a bowl of water), one black candle and one white candle

Note: Since this is a spell for balance, make sure your altar is set up in a balanced way. Start by visualizing the imbalances in your life or a particular situation (too much work or stress, not enough love) and picture them being balanced out by whatever you are lacking. If you are too overwhelmed to even figure out what you need, just feel yourself opening up to whatever the gods send in response to your prayer. Then light the dark and light candles.



Earth and Air, Water and Fire

Grant to me my heart’s desire

Balance now my troubled life

Wash away confusion’s strife



Even out the high and low

Gently soothe the ebb and flow

Dark and light in balance be

From extremes please set me free



Calm, serene and peaceful I

With ease and grace my days will fly

As above and so below

Balance to my life bestow



After: Stand up, close your eyes, and feel the new balance within and without. When things get hectic, remind yourself of that balance, but don’t forget to work on bringing in whatever you need to create it.