As touched on in 10 Free and Low-Cost Ways to Celebrate Ostara, this series is not being published in purely sequential order. Nor will each entry appear here in the span of a single year.

Today’s post, in which the spotlight is shone upon the resplendently lovely sabbat that is Mabon, will be the third in this series.

(The first, 10 Free and Low-Cost Ways to Celebrate Imbolc, appeared as a guest post that I wrote for The Witch of Lupine Hollow, earlier this year.)

As time marches ever onward, I intend to cover all eight of the sabbats – so be sure to watch this space for future economy-minded ways to embrace and make all the more of your Pagan holidays.

In the weeks leading up to Mabon 2020, I brainstormed a slew of possible post ideas for this year’s second harvest season sabbat.

And while many of them tickled my fancy (and are now tucked away in my post inspiration file for possible later use), a voice inside kept driving me back to writing about ways to embrace and make the most of Mabon that cost little to nothing.

Let’s face it, this year has not been kind to many people around the world. From layoffs and lost jobs to steep medical bills, increased costs of living, and so much more, belts have been tightened and pennies pinched in countless ways by a good many of us.

I am nothing if not a witch who listens to her intuition, so it was with pleasure and thanks (to the universe for nudging me in this direction) that I recently sat down to write this list of 15 Free and Low-Cost Ways to Celebrate Mabon.

Read on to learn about these fun, festive approaches, plus info about what Mabon is, when Mabon falls, and more!

What is Mabon?

Mabon is the second of three harvest season Pagan holidays/sacred days that take place annually.

It falls between Lammas in early August and Samhain at the end of October.

As with each of the eight sabbats that comprise the Wheel of the Year, Mabon’s roots run deep into the bedrock of the past.

However, Mabon as it is observed today, in the 21^st century, is essentially a modern Pagan practice.

That said, countless cultures around the world have long celebrated the harvest season in myriad ways throughout the late summer and fall months.

Mabon draws richly on some of these traditional harvest time/fall equinox celebrations, particularly those from the British Isles, Ireland, Nordic and Germanic lands.

Interestingly, the word Mabon, in its neo-Pagan context, was termed in c. 1970 by New Reformed Orthodox Order of the Golden Dawn founder, Aiden Kelly. It is a reference to a Welsh mythological figure named Mabon ap Modron.

While the word Mabon tends to denote a Pagan/witchery harvest festival and the Fall Equinox or Autumn Equinox as both the astrological event and the more secular observance of such, some people happily use the two names interchangeably.

Other names for Mabon include Feast of the Ingathering, Meán Fómhair, An Clabhsúr, Alban Elfed, and the rather lovely, Harvest Home.

Mabon, much like its counter-sabbat Ostara, is a time of immense balance, as the night and day are roughly the same duration on the Fall Equinox.

From Mabon until Yule in the second half of December, the days will continue to grow ever darker, as we prepare for the long, cold winter months ahead.

At the moment though, at least a hint of warmth still remains in the air for many north of the equator. Far from being an overly solemn event, Mabon is a time of beautiful thanksgiving, inner reflection, harmony, balance, planning, and reflecting on what we’ve reaped or harvested in our lives over the past year.

Mabon is also an excellent time to take a well-deserved break. To relax, slow down, and honour both the shifting seasons and the bountiful harvest of autumn, as well as what we’ve helped to nurture and grow into being in the scope of our own daily existence.

September is one of the richest and most abundant months in terms of food crops, so it is quite natural to include feasting in your Mabon festivities, if so desired.

Not everyone personally identifies with the classic Triple Goddess archetypal iteration of the Maiden/Mother/Crone (and that is 100% okay).

Amongst those that do, however, Mabon is often seen as the point in the year when the Goddess/Divine feminine shifts from her role of Mother to that of the sagely and very powerful Crone.

When is Mabon?

Many, if not most, who observe Mabon in the Northern Hemisphere opt to do so in unison with the September Equinox.

The September, or Fall/Autumn, Equinox, denotes the moment when the sun appears to traverse the celestial equator on its exciting journey south.

It is also – excitingly – the first official calendar day of fall in many parts of the word.

As with Spring Equinox and both the Summer and Winter Solstices, the Fall Equinox can fall within a tight window of days each year. In the case of the Fall Equinox, that window spans September 21^st to September 24^th.

This year, the Fall Equinox is on September 22^nd.

Thus, if you’re wondering when is Mabon 2020, the short answer becomes September 22^nd.

However, that said, when and for how many days, one opts to observe a given sabbat is a highly personal choice. Plenty of witches, Pagans, and Wiccans will celebrate Mabon on the Autumn Equinox itself.

Doing so is not a requirement though by any means. Broadly speaking, September 20^th to September 30^th is considered to be Mabon season – though, in some ways, this season extends until Samhain, at the end of October.

I strongly encourage you to follow your heart and instincts when it comes to celebrating (or not) each of the sabbats and the days that you personally choose to observe them on.

While I generally observe the sabbats that correspond with solstices and equinoxes on the official dates that these events occur, I’ve been known to begin my Mabon celebrations + magickal workings as early as the start of September and to carry on with them well into the highly spiritually charged days of late October.

Is Mabon just for witches, Wiccans and Pagans?

Happily, the sabbats are open to those of all faiths and beliefs. They are days that mark important points in the ever-turning wheel of the year – something that impacts every single person’s life, regardless of their spiritual path or where they live on the planet.

If you feel called to observe and celebrate the Autumn Equinox/Mabon, then by all means have at it.

Life needs all the cheer, positivity, gratitude, and reasons to make merry that we can possibly muster.

After all, it is not without good reason that Mabon is sometimes called the Pagan Thanksgiving or Witches Thanksgiving.

However, I personally believe that the Fall Equinox has the ability to serve as a universal Thanksgiving Day for anyone around the world who wishes to focus on the blessings of the harvest season.

How to celebrate the Fall Equinox/Mabon

In the list that follows this section, numerous specific ways to celebrate Mabon are laid out. However, these are but fifteen of the limitless approaches one can take to honouring the harvest season.

Mabon is an excellent time to focus on thanksgiving, blessings, gratitude, warmth (what remains from the sun’s rays and that which we foster in our own lives and relationships), harmony, serenity, the liminal nature of the equinoxes, and other aspects of the season that resonate with our own hearts.

You may wish to create or decorate an existing altar for Mabon, hold a Mabon feast – be it for one or one hundred, take a leisurely nature walk, decorate your home for fall time (one of my personal faves!), reach out to people you hold dear to thank them for the ways in which they enrich your life, harvest some fruit, vegetables, herbs or other plants of your own, visit a corn maze or pumpkin patch, make seasonally related jewelry or other craft projects, create corn dollies, watch the leaves fall, or have a lovely bonfire at this point in the year.

Celebrate Mabon in the way(s) that feel right and natural to you and your spiritual path, that realistically work within the parameters of your daily life, and which, hopefully, bring you both happiness and an even deeper sense of connection to the wonders of fall time.

15 free and low-cost ways to celebrate Mabon

1. Gather natural treasures. While spring and summer might see more live greenery, I’d argue that no season offers quite the bounty of natural treasures that autumn does.

Even in the heart of sprawling metropolises, fall still shines radiantly and proudly via the changing leaves and early morning frost.

If you’re able to do so, head outside and take a leisurely look around for offerings from Gaia that you can bring home with you to use for all manner of purposes. From decorating your home and altar to (when applicable) eating now or storing away for the coming year until fall returns once again.

As always, ensure that anything you source is done in a legal and ethical manner, and that you are not greatly disrupting the local ecosystem by removing any elements from a given surrounding.

Some wonderful things to keep your eyes on high alert for during the crisp, gorgeous days of early to mid-autumn include dried leaves, strips of shed bark, seed pods, pine cones, chestnuts, acorns, walnuts, hazelnuts (filberts), seasonal wildflowers, corn husks, safe to eat wild foods (fruits, berries, vegetables, roots, herbs, mushrooms, etc), shed animal skins and antlers, empty bird’s egg shells, and feathers.

Give thanks for each treasure that you find and consider leaving an offering, picking up trash in the vicinity, or otherwise honouring the area that you’ve been forging for fall time nature finds in.

2. Engage in banishing magic. Banishing is something that aligns powerfully with the harvest season, as one distinct chapter of the year (the growing season of spring and summer) transforms into the harvesting, resting and renewing period that is fall and winter.

This year, most of us are feeling the need to weave some banishing work into our spiritual practices now more than ever.

If you’re keen to do just that, I highly recommend this Apple Magick Banishing Spell for Mabon that I penned as another of the guest posts that I had the pleasure of writing for The Witch of Lupine Hollow.

This spell is simple, meaningful, and, in my personal experience, highly effective. It also supports the spirit of the Autumn Equinox, which invites us to part ways with was and to gather strength and renewed focus for the coming chilly months.

3. Learn a new skill or further your education. While many a year may have passed since you last sat behind a school desk, one of the greatest gifts in life is that we have the ability to keep learning long after our days of formal classroom education are behind us.

In many parts of the world, the new school year begins in August or September.

Growing up, I adored the start of the school year and often find myself missing the heady rush of resuming classroom learning, a backpack bulging with new pencils and notebooks slung over my shoulder, when September returns.

While I won’t be raising my hand during rollcall again anytime soon, one way I can help temper this longing is to throw myself into learning or honing a new skill or area of interest as fall returns.

Sometimes my focus is squarely Pagan/witchy related, at others it may pertain to crafts, my health, the culinary arts, photography, or a multitude of other topics.

If there’s something you’ve been keen to learn more about, a class you’ve been wanting to take, or a subject you’d like to brush up, the Autumn Equinox is a superb time to honour your mind and enrich your life in the process.

4. Practice leaf divination. Formally known as phyllomancy, divining via leaves is an ancient practice whose roots (pun intended) likely stretch back to the early days of human existence.

Leaves are abundant in most parts of the world, so it stands to reason that they were a probable source for early peoples to turn to when engaging in divination. Historical records tell us that phyllomancy was used by cultures such as the ancient Greeks, Assyrians, Romans, Celts, and Chinese, to name but a few.  

There are various ways to look for omens, signs, meanings, and answers in leaves. They include listening to the sounds, such as rustling, that they make, interpreting their shapes and colours (as well as if a leaf has fallen face up or face down), reading the veins and characteristic markings of a given leaf, using groups or piles of leaves in much the same way as tealeaf reading (tasseomancy), interrupting images seen in burning leaves, and mental impressions that present themselves to you when looking at autumn leaves.

5. Donate to a local food bank or other food-related charity. While fall is known as the season of plenty thanks to the abundance of agricultural crops that are harvest at this point in the year, the sad truth is that even in a world teeming with food, not everyone gets enough to eat and/or has an ongoing sense of food security.

If you have unexpired non-perishable foods to share, the means to make a monetary donation, and/or ability to volunteer some of your time to help out at a local food bank, soup kitchen or similar facility, Mabon is an excellent time of the year to do so.

If this is not possible, think about other ways that you might be able to share some of the bounty – be it modest or vast – of your own food stores with others.

For example, do you have an elderly neighbour who would appreciate a hearty homemade pumpkin bread, a pot of delicious acorn squash soup, or basket of perfectly ripe apples from the tree in your backyard?

As in many areas of life, it is often possible to give and enrich the lives of others without breaking the bank – or, in some cases, involving any money at all.

6. Create a crystal grid for Mabon. Crystal grids are incredible ways to harness the power, energy and benefits of working with crystals.

I adore putting together blessed and charged crystal grids for the Pagan holidays, often leaving them on one of my altars until the next sabbat approaches.

The sky is the limit when it comes to designing and laying out a crystal grid for Mabon.

You could opt to include only crystals, stones and/or rocks or may wish to involve other natural or manmade elements as well.

Numerous crystals are associated with Mabon. These include, but are not limited to, citrine, aragonite, jasper, sunstone, garnet, amber, cat’s eye, orange calcite, carnelian, pyrite, aventurine, peach selenite, rhyolite, and peach moonstone.

In addition to crystals and stones, I love including natural materials – particularly those that I’ve gathered myself – in my Mabon crystal grids.

Some great additions are sunflowers and their seeds, marigolds, dried summertime flowers, pumpkin seeds, mini pumpkins and gourds, apples (fresh or dried), pears (fresh or dried), ears of dried corn and/or corn husks, sheaves of wheat, fall leaves, acorns, chestnuts, seed pods, and feathers.

7.  Recycle old candles to make new candles. Let’s face it, most of us witchy and Pagan folk love a good candle – or fifty! And while plenty may be burned until completion, chances are that you have some partially used candles laying around the house as we speak.

This Mabon season, to honour the warmth and light that helped to create the bountiful fall harvest, to prepare for the coming months of autumn and winter darkness, and to celebrate the fact that the fall equinox is a day of balance between the eternal sources of light and darkness, why not make some candles from existing ones that you have on hand?

The web is rife with tutorials on how to turn old candle ends, bits and pieces into new candles. YouTube is a great place to watch videos of how to do just that.

Check out How to Make New Candles from Your Old Candles Tutorial, How to Melt Old Candle Wax into New Candles to REUSE Candle Wax!, and How To Make a Candle from Old Candle Pieces to get started.

While a small number of basic candle making materials may be required for some of these techniques, the outlay in cost can usually be kept to a minimum – especially if you don’t plan to turn candle making into a major hobby or business.

Fall is a fantastic time of the year to sweep away, clean up and declutter the old, parting ways with what we can, while recycling and revamping in other areas. Handmade candles are one shining – again, pun intended – way to do just that.

8. Reflect on loss, death and the natural cycle of life. It’s safe to say that 2020 has driven these themes home for many people in powerful, perhaps for some individuals even unprecedented, ways.  

It is beyond the scope of this post to even so much as skim the surface of grief processing and management or to delve into the extraordinary degree of loss + suffering that the world has endured this year.

Whether you chose to reflect on how death has touched and shaped 2020 or these subjects as they pertain to other areas of your life/spiritual path is entirely up to you. There is no right or wrong here at all.

Of all the sabbats (as they transpire in the Northern Hemisphere), none is as closely linked to death, the spirit realm, ancestors, and imagery pertaining to the dead than Samhain.

Yet, Mabon, which proceeds Samhain by just a few short weeks, is another point in the year when the veil thins and workings (and thoughts) pertaining to death are especially appropriate.

After all, what does the autumn equinox mark but the death of summer. Even if the warmth and radiant sunlight of the former season lingers a while longer, as far as science and the calendar alike are concerned, summer is officially over.

While one might feel full on grief over the loss of summer – and, conversely, plenty rejoice when this point arrives – it is worthwhile to reflect on the season that was and to thank the universe for the chance to experience another summer.

Consider performing rituals and workings pertaining to some aspect of death, be it seasonal, connected to departed people or animals, or the general theme of death and the roles it plays in each of our journeys through life. 

Visit a graveyard or cemetery, hold a dumb supper, connect with ancestral spirits, do tarot or oracle reading that relates to death, engage in death positive activities, or do anything else pertaining to death that feels right (and safe!) to you this autumn.

9. Dress is fall time colours. While black and grey (and to a lesser extent, dark brown) are have been the powerhouses of my wardrobe for years now, fall’s colour palette has a starring role in my closer the whole year through as well.

When autumn itself returns, I leap headfirst all the more into donning rich, earthy, elegant shades of everything from maroon to saffron, pumpkin to olive, cocoa to crimson and plenty of others.

Each colour in the visible spectrum connects to elements of nature, has meaningful spiritual correspondences and connections, and can impact everything from our mood to how people perceive us.

When it comes to fall time dressing, some great colours choices include:

-Burgundy and maroon

-Reds, especially darker shades (such as scarlet, brick, and cranberry) and those with blue undertones

-Muted or, conversely, intense shades of earthy pink and peach, such as puce, salmon, and dusty rose

-Oranges, including rust, pumpkin, marigold, copper, persimmon, and terracotta

-Yellows and golds, including honey, saffron, sunflower, camel, brass, bronze, and mustard yellow

-Earthy greens like chartreuse, olive, sage, and moss

-Darker greens such as spruce, pine, forest, and hunter

-Deep, inky blues such as navy, midnight, dark denim, teal, and peacock

-Purples such plum, berry, sangria, bordeaux, eggplant (aubergine), and dusty shades of purple

-Browns, particularly medium and darker toned shades, as well as those with golden undertones, such as caramel, nutmeg, butterscotch, and toffee

-Greys in general, though darker shades spanning slate to charcoal are especially appropriate

-Silver and gunmetal

-Muted whites, creams, and ivories

-Black and colours so dark they almost look black (e.g., black cherry)

You do need to look like a walking poster for fall 24/7, of course (though, I’ll be the first to welcome you to team fall fashion, if you do! ).

From small splashes – say a scarf, pair of boots, bracelet, or hair accessory – to full-on ensembles and everything in between, you can rock as much or as little of autumn’s color palette this season.

And, in doing so, know that you are aligning yourself all the more with the energy and natural palette of this beautiful chapter of the year.

Likewise, these colours are all stellar choices for fall time altars, candles, home décor, seasonal décor, party colour schemes, craft projects, and even the foods you prepare throughout the autumn months.

10. Create an outdoor Mabon altar. If you have a safe, private place to do so, consider creating a seasonal altar outdoors for Mabon or adorning an existing outdoor altar in ways that align with Mabon and your spiritual path.

The wonderful blog Raising Knights and Fairies has a great post How to Make an Outdoor Mabon Altar, if you’re looking for some handy inspiration for your own altar Fall Equinox season altar.

Your altar need not be massive. You can base it off of small outdoor table, a stable rock or tree stump, or simply a cleared spot of land.

During the years when I lived on the 23^rd floor of a high-rise apartment building, I often made lovely little outdoor altars throughout the year on our balcony in (or on top of) small recycled wooden and plastic crates.

Another possible place – assuming doing so wouldn’t risk damaging anything you may have planted – is to create altars in planter style window boxes.

Plus, a hanging altar can also be constructed from things such as planters, macramé, or woven baskets, if elevating your altar is a more feasible or desirable approach.

11. Make sun prints from leaves or other seasonal items. The process – aided by a little bit of chemical alchemy – of crating prints using the sun and natural (or manmade) objects is known as cyanotype. It is a form of non-mechanical, aka camera-less, photography that’s creates a cyan blue coloured print.

This process helped to name the act of making blueprints, as cyanotypes were a relatively easy way to create copies of drawing before the advent of more advance copying and image reproduction methods.

Cyanotypes often have a serene elegance to them, and the finished product – be it on paper or fabric can make for gorgeous home décor or be put to work in craft projects.

Creating cyanotypes will likely incur the expense of the materials needed, so it is not the absolute lowest option on this list. However, most kits (or individually sourced and utilized materials) create multiple prints, which helps to keep the costs down on a project-by-project basis.

If you’d rather skip the outlay involved, there are other methods such as preserving leaves with wax paper that are apt to cost you little to nothing (if you have waxed paper to hand already).

As well, the classic act of simply placing fall leaves beneath drawing paper and rubbing a wax crayon, pastel stick, or pencil crayon overtop to produce a rubbing of the leaves never goes out of style and can bring back a lovely hit of nostalgia for those of us who made leaf rubbings during our school days.

With any leaf art related project, consider displaying the end result on or near your altar/sacred space or otherwise giving it pride of place in your home this fall.

12. Gather up and record your favourite recipes. I’m a passionate home cook and kitchen witch the whole year through, but the moment the first fall leaf drops, I make a beeline for the pantry + stove like there’s no tomorrow!

Many of us associate the colder months with comfort food, nostalgic dishes, and fond memories of the eats we adored (or otherwise ate) when we were growing up.

If you’re not already recording some of your favourite recipes – or haven’t updated your recipe book in a while – fall is the ideal time to jot down those dishes that make your heart, stomach and soul alike all happy.

If so desired, feel free to include notes on any magickal workings or other spiritual elements that you’ve preformed or associate with your recipes.

Let your loved ones know about your treasure trove of recipes and don’t be shy about sharing copies of them. Passing along recipes is a time-honoured tradition and one that feels all the more at home come the season of potlucks (potlatches), Thanksgiving, Halloween/Samhain, and fall feasting.

13. Make your very own corn husk witch doll. I gasped, audibly gasped, when I first saw this beautiful DIY project online. With a few craft and household supplies, you can create what has to be one of the most perfect, witchery approved corn husk related crafts of all time: a corn husk witch doll.

Not only is your finished corn husk witch doll a wonderful representation of the spiritual bond we share with fall, but it can become a treasured piece that you either bring out each autumn or leave on your altar or elsewhere in your house the whole year through.

As well, I cannot help but think what a splendid gift for your fellow witchy and Halloween adoring friends one of these special corn husk dolls would be.

14. Go on a fall time picnic. Unless you are fortunate enough to live somewhere that never gets truly cold, chances are that pristine al fresco dining weather will soon be drawing to a close in your area.

Before it does, why not prepare or purchase and pack up a scrumptious picnic to be enjoyed in the majesty of the great outdoors (be it a safe public setting or the comfort of your own backyard)?

For extra fall time fun, correspondences and meaning, you could opt to feature a menu comprised of seasonal foods such as those involving pumpkin, squash, apples, plums, pears, grapes, cider, perry (pear cider), mead, wine, honey, pomegranates, corn, squash, leeks, onions, garlic, cornbread, hearty breads, oats, nuts and seeds, salmon, turkey, venison, and warm spices such as pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, ginger, mustard, and cardamom.

15. Set intentions for the coming year. Samhain is often seen as the witches New Year. I myself view and utilize it in this meaningful capacity. Yet I have long been doing much the same with the return of fall as well.

The ball may drop on time square at the stroke of midnight on January 1^st, but for myself and plenty of others, different points in the year feel like more natural or intrinsic starts to the next year for us.

Fall’s return is my new year and as such I make a point to be brutally and lovingly honest with myself about what it is I would ideally like to accomplish between now and the following Mabon.

I set intentions big and small, access how those from past years are doing, and accept that some past intentions either will not come to be or may no longer be realistic.

You can do the same through thoughts alone, by writing your intentions down, doing intention related spell work, making a vlog style video about your intentions, or utilizing another method that jives with your life.

Think big and dream broadly, but remember to keep at least a toe or two planted firmly in the reality of your current existence.

And keep in mind too that, much like traditional New Year’s resolutions, you will generally have to actively work to make your intentions and goals come to fruition.

Hope, luck, and faith all have their place, but so does self-propelled manifestation.

Reaping the blessings of Mabon

Much like the balance of light and dark that Mabon houses, the second fall harvest sabbat is a meaningful blend of joy and somberness. It celebrates life and thanksgiving, while also honouring death and, in some instances, rebirth as well.

Samhain might be the rock star of the Pagan sabbat world in the eyes of many, but Mabon holds its own, too, and is a powerful, spiritually charged, beautiful chapter of the year.

Yes, we’ve officially bid farewell to summer, but that just means we get to enjoy the next several weeks of fall weather before plunging into the icy heart of winter.

Mabon, much like autumn itself, is a time of both productivity and rest. It invites us to banish what no longer serves our lives and spiritual practices, while also providing us with comfort, joy, inspiration, beauty, magick, and merriment aplenty.

The blessings of this season are abundant. They shine out in every leaf and tendril of chimney smoke, greeting us via smiling jack-o-lanterns and scrumptious fall time comfort dishes. They are present in our communications with the departed, our evening walks through jewel toned carpets of crunchy leaves, and the dreams + goals we make for the year ahead.

May this Mabon bring unlimited goodness, support, safety, and enchantment your way, dear friends!

The post 15 Free and Low-Cost Ways to Celebrate Mabon appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

I’ve always felt a strong kinship to Canada Day and to the history of the land into which I was born. A history that stretches back substantially farther than 1867, when the Canadian Confederation unified various Eastern parts of the country to create the backbone of a nation that would, in less than a century encompass, the entirety of the landmass that we know today as Canada.

In a few days my own birthday will transpire once again. Another year – a truly unforgettable year in terms of what befell the earth and its people – of experiencing the unparalleled magnificence of existence, with all of its highs, lows, smiles, tears, and magickal happenings will be added to timeline of my existence.

The proximity of the two days – Canada Day and my birthday – has always delighted me. And as I grew up and began to research my genealogy with great vigour and intensity, I found it was a chapter of the year that often brought forth an abundance of thoughts about, and connections to, my ancestors.

For without them, I – like each of us and our respective lineages – would not be here today.

I was born in Canada, as we both of my parents and three of my four grandparents (my maternal grandfather was born in a part of what was then German Russia called Bessarabia; today this area is comprised by areas of Moldova and Ukraine).

If we start digging further back in time, fewer and fewer of my ancestors were born, let alone lived for any portion of their life, in Canada, though some certainly were and did.

The oldest bloodline that I can lay claim to in this country is that of the French Canadian ancestry, which comes by way of my maternal grandmother’s parents and stretches back to at least the 1600s.

Like all non-First Nations Peoples of this country, however, my Canadian lineage is relatively new when viewed through the lens of human history.

Ultimately, if we go far enough back in time, all modern humans share the same ancestor – a Mitochondrial Eve – as she is often referred to in scientific circles.

In the approximately 100,000 – 200,000 years since then, our DNA has branched out further, creating something rather akin to a genetic fingerprint that both differentiates us from, and concurrently connects us to, one other as a global species.

While it is commonly believed that in the 1950s, biologist James Watson and physicist Francis Crick discovered DNA, they were not, in fact, the first to do so. Though their discoveries and advancements in the field of DNA research were ground-breaking and have impacted the world in innumerable ways since then.

This distinction does to Friedrich Miescher, a Swiss chemist, who in 1869 – just two years, incidentally, after Canada officially became a nation – first identified what would later go on to be called deoxyribonucleic acid, commonly called DNA, inside the nuclei of white blood cells.

In the nearly a century between this extraordinary discovery and the Watson and Crick’s 1953 finding that DNA molecules exist in three-dimensional double helix form, a number of other scientists focused on the study of DNA before they even fully knew what it was or to just what extent it shaped life as we know it on this planet.

The discoveries these pioneering genetic scientists and all those who continue to follow in their footsteps has truly revolutionized our world.

From helping to solve crimes to aiding in a better understanding of human evolution to allowing us to test for a litany of different medical conditions, the importance of the discovery and subsequent advancements in the understanding of DNA cannot be overstated.

In today’s post, we’re going to look at ancestral DNA testing in a different light than it is generally viewed.

We’ll explore some of the ways in which DNA testing can help you to better understand yourself and your ancestors and how that knowledge can be applied to your life as a witch, Wiccan and/or Pagan in the 21^st century.

What is ancestral DNA testing?

Genetic ancestry testing, ancestral DNA testing, or genetic genealogy, as it is sometimes called, is a scientific way for us to discover more about our ancestors than historical facts and records, photos and family lore (important as these thing all are!) could ever tell us.

When one’s DNA is tested for genetic ancestry, we can usually discover more about where they came from and what population(s) their ancestors belonged to. Generally speaking, the more closely related two people, families or populations are, the more likely they are to share various DNA markers.

There are three type of genetic testing that are commonly used for ancestral and genealogical related purposes. They are as follows:

-Y Chromosome testing: As Y chromosomes are passed down exclusively from fathers to sons, this form of genetic testing is not available to woman (because females do not possess a Y chromosome). If you wish to know more about this type of genetic testing as it pertains to your own family, your best bet is to get a close biological male relative, such as a brother or your father, to take an ancestral DNA test and share his results with you.

-Mitochondrial DNA testing: Unlike Y chromosomes, mitochondrial DNA is passed down from mother to child and is present in both males and females, thus providing valuable information about a person’s direct female ancestral line.

-Single nucleotide polymorphism testing: This form of genetic testing looks at a person’s entire genome, commonly comparing it to those who have taken the same types of tests to help provide a clear(er) picture of a person’s ethnic background. While not foolproof in this respect, of course, again, it can help to provide a good deal of information regarding whereabouts in the world a person’s ancestors may have come from.

Whereas mitochondrial and Y chromosome testing can tell us about our direct ancestral lines, they do not paint as broad a picture of one’s full ethnic background, which is where single nucleotide polymorphism testing shines.

It is important to keep in mind that throughout human history, countless populations have migrated, mingled, and mated.

This often means that genetic DNA testing can lead to some surprising results – or, conversely, that it may confirm things that were either stated as gospel loudly and proudly or said in hushed whispers within families or communities for many a year.

Where can I get ancestral DNA testing?

These days, most ancestral DNA testing is done via paid online services such as 23andMe, Circle DNA, Ancestry DNA, Cri Genetics, National Geographic’s Geno 2.0, and Living DNA.

Other consumer genetic testing services exist, some catering to specific areas such as medical data, and chances are more will emerge as time goes on and further advances and discoveries are made in the fascinating field of genetics.

The cost varies from ancestral genetic testing service to service, as does the data reports that you’re presented with.

Several years ago now, when it was relatively new to the world, my husband and I availed of a sale 23andMe.com was holding so as to test our respective DNA.

As an avid hobbyist genealogist (and someone for whom science, health and history are all immense passions as well), I couldn’t jump at the chance to do so quickly enough!

While some of the medical aspects that the testing indicated I may or may be prone to developing/having hit the mark and others were way off base, the more concrete ancestral data was of little surprise to me and helped to further confirm many years of my own genealogical research.

The fact that 23andMe continues to provide users with additional data as time goes on and additional tests are included in their offerings has only further helped to make the cost of this service more than worth it for me personally. (This post is not sponsored by 23andMe or any other website or company.)

If you’re looking to avail of genetic ancestral testing yourself and want to score a good deal, too, I suggest waiting for sales. Many of these reputable testing websites hold sales each year, especially around (very logically) Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, as well as Christmastime.

However, prices have, generally speaking, either dropped or stayed fairly stable over the years and most online ancestral DNA testing services are not inordinately pricey.

I would be remiss if I did not address the fact that, obviously, in order to receive this kind of testing, you must submit your own DNA (usually in the form of saliva).

As such, technically, your DNA is housed in a database and while there is (and I cannot stress this point highly enough) no reason to believe that any of these companies are using that information for unethical or otherwise nefarious purposes, at the end of the day, we have a right to know who has access to our DNA and what it could, no matter how hypothetically, be used for.

For a wide range of highly understandable reasons, not all individuals or group of people are comfortable with scientists having their genetic material – a point that the Atlantic highlighted in a piece regarding Genetic Testing and Tribal Identity, for example.

If you’re down with genetic DNA testing, as many of us are, then you’re likely in for a delightful world of information that has been encoded in your cells your whole life, but which you might never have known about were it not for this astonishing branch of science.

5 Reasons why ancestral DNA testing can benefit your witchcraft

There is almost no limit to why genetic testing appeals to various people, what it can tell us about ourselves and our ancestors, and why it matters for the collective whole of humanity.

If you identify as a witch, Wiccan and/or Pagan of any sort, have you ever stopped to ask yourself how genetic testing might be able to deepen, enhance and even better your spiritual journey?

What about, if applicable, your witchcraft? How about the patron deities or the pantheon that you may work with? The types of foods you leave as offerings or utilize when holding a dumb supper? What you place on your altar in relation to your ancestors?

Could it come into play for you in regards to things like hedgeriding, visualizations, shadow work, healing generational trauma, strengthening your psychic abilities, kitchen or green witchery, or the divination methods you use?

Yes to all of the above and plenty, more including the five different ways that genealogical testing can help your witchery that we’ll explore in greater detail below.

1. It may be able to help you find the witchy path that is best for you: While there are more ways to witch than there will ever be witches themselves, for those who feel the need to belong follow a specific type of witchy/Wiccan path or who wish to do so in the ways that are truest to their generic ancestry, DNA testing can help point you in the right direction.

I do not personally believe that one must only work, as some are quick to state, with the systems of Paganism, gods and goddesses or cultural traditions of their own direct ancestors and/or culture.

That said, for a lot of us, the desire to do comes naturally or develops as we continue along our journey through life as witches/Pagans.

The clearer and more accurate a picture we have of where our ancestors stemmed from, the better able we are to research, engage with and build a spiritual practice that involves elements of the cultures and peoples that comprise our genetic makeup.

It is worth pointing out that, true as this can be, there are definitely some cultures for whom we presently know much more about their earlier beliefs, customs and traditions than others.

Simply knowing what area(s) of the world we have genetic ties to, however, can be a stepping stone to connecting with the culture – both past and present – of those locations and in turn finding ways to incorporate these important things into our daily spiritual walk.

2. Knowing where your ancestors originated from can lead to incredible travel experiences: If one feels so inclined, and has both the means and health required to do so, visiting one or more countries (if they differ from where you currently live) that you have ancestral ties to can be a profoundly poignant, potentially even life-changing, experience.

You could choose, for example, research and try to visit specific parts of the country, including graveyards or other burial sites, where your ancestors may have lived, worshiped, or been laid to rest.

Or you might opt to visit spiritually significant locations, sample national cuisines, perhaps, walk in locations that your ancestors may have trod with their very own feet, watch the sun set on the same horizon that they once gazed upon, connect with the Elements as they exist in that area (likewise for the genius loci), study traditional clothing and jewelry, and otherwise connect with the lands that helped in their own way to propel your ancestral line ever forward to the eventuality of your own existence.

There is no shortage of ways that travel can help to foster and bolster your spiritual path, your connection with your ancestors, and your understanding of human history – both that of your own family tree and the world at large.

3. It helps you to better know and understand who your ancestors were: Genetic DNA testing might not be able to give you precise names or put faces to those names, but it can very effectively paint a detailed picture of what ethnic groups we may have ancestral ties to.

This is important for a wide wealth of reasons and may, at least in part, help to explain why you’re instinctively drawn to certain cultures and/or the belief systems of such.

Many witches and Pagans honour, celebrate, and work with our ancestors in a myriad of different, highly personal ways. The more we know about the people we were descended from, the more specifically we can venerate and communicate – and/or feel a close bond with – those whose existences ultimately lead to our own.

As well, and this is a point whose importance cannot be overstated, ancestral DNA testing is not dependant on who our parents were. This means that if a person was adopted or little is known about who their parents were for whatever reason, genetic DNA testing helps to part some of the dark clouds of mystery surrounding your ancestors. Giving you a better and more accurate picture of whereabouts in the world your relatives called home.

Knowing this can be of great comfort and support (including offering a sense of kinship with others from the same areas of the world) to each of us, but potentially all the more so for who were adopted or had direct relatives who were adopted or whose family histories are largely unknown.

4. Provides more information about your ancestral female line: While some of us feel a stronger connection to male or female energy and/or deities, and some prefer not to assign or identify with gendered energy or aspects of the divine (or ourselves), here on earth we are all the product of countless generations of males and females engaging in the reproductive act.

Unfortunately, historically, less information was, in some times and places at least, recorded for our female ancestors. Names, birth and death dates, specifics about their lives and interests, and much more has frequently been lost to history. And the same is certainly true for many males, too, of course.

Ancestral DNA testing alone won’t likely be able to say what your great-great-great-great grandma’s favourite colour or dessert was. Nor can it, in and of itself, tell you her name. What it can do, however, is to help paint a better and broader picture of the female ancestral line from which you are both descended.

Everyone, regardless of gender, can benefit from honouring and connecting with the females in their family tree, some of whom, I’d be willing to bet, you both look like and may have much in common with.

In short, genetic DNA testing can help to give women a stronger presence in history, even if the particulars of their lives have sadly been lost.

It reminds us that they were just about everywhere that males populated the world for any length of time, while also reinforcing the goddess-like quality inherent to the act of giving life.

5. No one can take your ancestry away from you. Despite the atrocious, heartbreaking attempts to annihilate various populations or smaller communities of people (to say nothing of specific individuals) throughout the course of our collective history, those of us who are alive today carry in our very DNA proof of all those who came before us.

The importance of claiming and celebrating our ancestral autonomy, of knowing where we come from, and being able to connect (be it literally or in spirit) with various populations around the globe is a highly meaningful act. And to my mind, it is also a basic human right.

No matter how long you live, what you do in your life, the relationships you engage in, your job, your beliefs, or anything else, your DNA is your DNA and your ancestry is your ancestry. It cannot be stripped from you, for your DNA is quite literally what you are made of on a cellular level.

There is such an uplifting sense of strength, positive power, and inspiration to be found in this fact. Which you can apply to your witchery in a multitude of different ways, from having greater inner confidence to learning more about the peoples you are descended from to actively making elements of their cultures a part of your spiritual path.

Ancestral DNA testing is its own form of modern-day magic

Is ancestral DNA necessary in order to live your witchiest life? Definitely not. But that doesn’t mean that availing of an ancestral genetic testing service can’t be of meaningful, perhaps even substantial, benefit to you as a witch and/or Pagan.

It is important to note that if you wish to research if you’re descended from an accused witch or if you come from a family lineage that included people who practiced witchcraft (or were cunning folk, shamans, etc), genealogical research usually will need to be employed as well.

And even then, scant to little direct evidence may be found in many instances. For a multitude of understandable reasons, it wasn’t always the safest thing to flaunt one’s witchiness far and wide in various times and places past.

Though, conversely, sometimes it was the fact that someone was a healer, cunning woman, local witch, etc that helped the stories of their lives and abilities carry forth through the generations to the present day (this may be especially true in families with a long history of hereditary witchcraft).

While some of us, myself included, are firm believers in past lives, at the end of the day, we are each currently living our life in the here and now.

The physical body that our soul/spirit presently resides in is connected to the entirety of humanity as it has existed from the days of our collective mitochondrial mama.

Genetic DNA testing is a miracle of scientific discovery and understanding. Imagine, even just a few short generations ago, having the ability to look back in time across the span of human history care of a wee vile of our salvia?

It’s remarkable that we’re able to know and learn so much about ourselves and our ancestors via this incredible technology.

If you have the chance to use a genetic testing service, I highly recommend doing so. And if you’ve already availed of this kind of service, consider reflecting further on how the results you received about your ancestry can be of benefit to you from a spiritual standpoint.

While my ancestry composition tells me that I’m 99.7% European, that number is further broken down in the report I received and its results both back up and expand on where my genelogical research informs me that my ancestors hailed from.

The fact that I’m comprised of fair number of different European ancestries, most of which stem from Northern and Central Europe, helps me to feel that my natural inclination to associate with the Pagan traditions of these areas is exactly the spiritual path I’m meant to be on.

They echo down through the ages and are a part of both my genetic memory and my literal genetic sequencing. As it’s pretty safe to assume that if we go far enough back in time, plenty of my German, Scandinavian, Russian, French, Irish, British, etc ancestors would have been straight up Pagans.  

I like to think that it might also be part of the reason why, at the end of the day, I’m an eclectic witch who cannot spend enough time in the woods, feels instinctively at home around people who speak certain European language that I know scarcely a word of, and why my heart is called to so fiercely by various parts of the world.

The connections you develop, already have and may deepen, or what surprises come your way via genetic DNA testing and how it corresponds to your own witchery will vary from mine. They will help to strengthen your life’s story along with the voices of your ancestors, whoever they were and wherever in the world they called home.

We grow as people the more we learn about ourselves and our ancestors. Doing so reminds us of the fact the entirety of humanity is interconnected and that for all of our differences – be they real or perceived – at the end of the day, we have far more in common with one another than points that set us apart.

Yet true as that is, we each have our own wonderfully unique origin stories as well. Ancestral DNA testing allows us to explore branches in our families trees that might never have been accessible to us were it not for this extraordinary technology.

If that is scientific magic in action, I don’t know what is!

Have you used an ancestral DNA testing service before? If so, how did what you discovered (or had confirmed) influence your witchery or Pagan practice?

PS: Happiest Canada Day wishes to all of my fellow Canadians who are toasting our nation’s birthday today.

The post 5 ways ancestral DNA testing can benefit your witchy life appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

While many of us are presently in self-isolation or, if that is not possible, engaging in vital social distancing and limiting time spent in public places as much as possible, the seasons are still, thankfully, proceeding along as usual.

One of the most iconic natural phenomena associated with springtime is the majestic rainbow.

Rainbows occur when the right set of circumstances involving reflection, refraction and dispersion of light take place within droplets of water in the atmosphere. When this happens, a gorgeous spectrum of different shades of arcing light can suddenly span a portion of the sky for a little while (the longest known duration that a rainbow has lasted is just under nine hours).

While we might not be able to conjure up rainbows overhead at will and rainbows are certainly more common in some parts of the world than others, we can all avail of rainbow magick regardless of where we live or if there’s presently a stunning bow of multiple colours smiling down upon us.

This spring, perhaps more than ever in many of our lives, we need all the light we can get coupled with the positivity and beauty inherent in rainbows.

With that in mind (and rainbow loving child of the 1980s that I am) I’ve put together an in-depth guide to rainbow magick to help make this spring a bit brighter and hopefully more positive for all of us.

What is rainbow magick?

Rainbows are as real as an apple, a sunflower, or your beloved pet cat and yet unlike these things, it is not possible to physically hold an actual rainbow in your hands.

This means that the magick we work with rainbows is generally symbolic, correspondence based, or that it involves materials (such as water, magickal tools, crystals, or food) that we’ve charged in the presence of a rainbow.

Of course, one can use a physical item that is designed in the shape (and/or colours) of a rainbow as a stand-in for the real deal, too.

And many a witch, Pagan, and other spiritually driven soul has one or more items, works of art, photographs, or candles depicting a rainbow or the colours of one in their home.

Rainbow magick is magick that involves either actual rainbows, items charged or gathered in the presence of real rainbows, colours that appear in a classic red/orange/yellow/green/blue/indigo/violet order (aka, Roy G Biv, an acronym many of us learned during our schooldays to help us memorize the colours in a prismatic rainbow), working with deities or other entities with ties to rainbows, items or foods (I have a whole Pinterest board devoted to Rainbow Foods, if you’re looking for rainbow food recipes and ideas), or any other type of rainbow related capacity as it pertains to your witchy workings.

Naturally, those who are familiar with the chakra energy system of the body are likely aware that it utilizes a rainbow-like system of colours.

You can engage with chakra colours either individually or as a collective whole in ways akin to working with other forms of rainbows, especially when performing healing, cleansing, energy balancing, or negativity banishing spells, reiki, and so forth.

What is a rainbow witch?

You may have heard or read the term “rainbow witch” before, but weren’t quite sure what it meant.

Broadly speaking, a rainbow witch is someone whose practice is quite eclectic and who embraces the joys, magick, properties, importance, inspiration and beauty of all manner of colours, including their connection to healing and nature.

Anyone can be a rainbow witch, if they desire, and can in turn define what being a rainbow witch means on their own terms.

For more on what a rainbow witch is, I highly recommend this lovely post by Nixie Vale – Are You a Rainbow Witch?

Are there different types of rainbows?

Absolutely! While most of us have seen – or at least familiar – with the usual multi-coloured arching rainbows (which are officially known as primary rainbows) that can occur either during or after a rain shower or rainstorm, there are various other kinds of rainbows as well.

The following describes some of the other types of rainbows that have been identified over the course of human history.

-Double or multiple rainbows: As their name implies, double or multiple rainbows are instances when two or more rainbows appear in the sky at the same time. They are formed by a double reflection of sunlight inside of raindrops and are between 130 and 127 degrees in width. Generally, there will be a primary rainbow and secondary rainbow (and, if applicable, a third or even an extremely rare fourth rainbow).

Fascinatingly, there is a word for the area of blank sky, so to speak, between the rainbows. This is known as Alexander’s band in honour of a 2^nd century AD Peripatetic philosopher called Alexander of Aphrodisias who was the first known person to describe this band.

-Twinned rainbows: Not to be confused with double rainbows (described above), this rare form of rainbow occurs when two rainbows form from a single base point, splitting partway along the arc. On even rarer occurrences, rainbows have been known to split into three branches, each sharing the same spectrum and order of colours (just as with twinned rainbows).

-Monochrome rainbows: While we generally think of rainbows as housing several different colours, it is possible for a rainbow to occur in just one colour.

This happens when sunlight is travelling the farthest away through the atmosphere at either sunrise or sunset and generally results in a solidly red rainbow which makes for a rare and very striking sight to behold (especially since the red tends to temporarily colour the sky immediately surrounding it quite red, purply-red, or peachy red coloured as well).

-Pastel rainbows, aka, supernumerary rainbows: Another relatively uncommon form of rainbow, supernumerary rainbows take place as an extra band within a primary rainbow (known as the stacker rainbow) or as an additional rainbow right outside of the first.

This form of rainbow is most commonly associated with fog and fogbows. The further away a supernumerary rainbow is from the stacker rainbow, the fainter and paler it appears, which generally results in bands of colours that are less vivid and pronounced than those of the primary rainbow.

-Reflected rainbows: These lovely rainbows appear on the surface of bodies of water that are present below the horizon (sunlight is deflected by rainbows before reflecting off of a body of water). If the conditions are right, a reflected rainbow can appear in something as small as a puddle or birdbath right on up to part of the surface area of a lake, sea or ocean.

-Full circle rainbows: When one calls to mind a rainbow, the classic semi-circle arc shape is one of this weather phenomenon’s most iconic elements. But did you know that under the right conditions, a rainbow can appear as a full circle?

In fact, almost any rainbow can, in theory, be a circular rainbow. However, when viewed from lower vantage points, such as the ground or most forms of housing, the majority of rainbows will appear as arcs, not circles.

If you happen to spot a rainbow when you’re atop a lofty mountain or building or high up in the air, such as in an airplane, then you might just be lucky enough to spot a full circle rainbow (which, occasionally, can appear in twin rainbow form as well).

-Rainbow wheels: While this name might make you think of those fun, noisy and very colourful clip-on beads we put in the spokes of our bike tires as kids, rainbow wheels are in fact a form of rainbow that occurs when dense rain showers or dark clouds create shadows over part(s) of a rainbow, causing lines of light to reach out to the arc of a primary rainbow, which in turn can give the appearance of a wagon wheel-like shape in the sky.

Incredibly, if the clouds are moving fast enough in the sky at the moment, rainbow wheels can even appear to rotate – giving even more credence to their name.

-Fog rainbows, aka, fogbows: As you might guess from their name, fogbows are rainbows that are caused when sunlight passes through fog and the moisture droplets in said fog diffract the sunlight.

Fogbow tend to form over bodies of water or those with thin fog, and the colours they house are typically red, blue and (especially) white, as opposed to the broader spectrum of various other types of rainbows.

-Cloud rainbows: Whereas most other types of atmospheric rainbows occur when light comes in contact with water drops in the air, cloud rainbows occur when light strikes water droplets that are presently forming clouds.

Cloud rainbows tend to be quite broad and may have less of a stereotypical arcing rainbow shape. There’s something very gentle, mysterious and beautiful about cloudbows, which while more common over bodies of water, can be seen occasionally over land as well.

-Moonbows: By far one of the most enchantingly beautiful forms of rainbow, moonbows are rainbows that take place in much the same way as daytime (solar) rainbows, however in this instance, it is moon, not sun, light that is responsible for their appearance.

Moonbows are also known as moon rainbows, lunar rainbows, and white rainbows. They may be fainter than their daytime counterparts and are certainly a considerably rarer sight. Much as with solar rainbows, lunar rainbows have piqued human interest for countless generations, with recorded descriptions of nighttime rainbows stretching back to Aristotle’s c. 350 BCE work, Meteorology.

If you’re keen to try and spot a moonbow of your own (and you really should – they’re an extremely beautiful and spiritually charged experience), you may have better luck if you do so when the moon is not blocked by clouds, the moon is low in the sky (42 degrees or lower), the moon is at – or very nearly at – its fullest stage, and there are water droplets (rain, mist, fog, or spray – such as that from powerful waterfalls) in the air opposite the glowing moon. As well, it helps matters if the sky is very dark during the later hours of night, such as two to three hours prior to the sun rising.

-Snow rainbows (aka, snowbows, snow bows, icebow, parhelions, halos, or sun dogs): While only rain or other forms of spherical water droplets can cause true rainbows, similar forms of arcing or circular light (generally white or pale yellow in colour) can occur as a result of light striking the intricately shaped surfaces of snowflakes or ice crystals (see this newspaper article for photos of super rare ice rainbows).

In addition to the above mentioned form of rainbows, it is possible to observe rainbow-like occurrences on surfaces such as dew slicked spiderwebs (known as spiderweb rainbows), in various sprays and streams of water (think fountains, geysers, water garden hoses and sprinklers, waves at the beach, and the spray from a waterfall), as well as other similar types of optical phenomena such as cloud iridescence in which some of the clouds overhead take on a colour pattern similar to that of the hues seen in soap bubbles, mother-of-pearl, or oil slicks.

All rainbows have an intensely ethereal quality to them and rainbow magick can be carried out in the presence of, or when thinking about (or meditating on, etc) any type of rainbow that resonates with you or that fits the magickal working that you’re engaging in.

I encourage you to keep this list of different types of rainbows in mind, bookmark, or pin this post on Pinterest so that you can refer back to it later, if you’re keen to utilize the properties of a particular type of rainbow in your spellwork, rituals, sabbat celebrations, self-generated guided meditations, or other witchy workings.

Religious, spiritual, and cultural connections to rainbows

Rainbows have been admired, awed over, and believed to have magickal or spiritual abilities or connections to the Divine since time immemorial.

Some faiths and cultures see rainbows as a bridge between the worlds of heaven and earth or life and death, and most people, regardless of their spiritual beliefs, find beauty and personal meaning in the sighting of a rainbow overhead. Be it as a sign of positivity or good luck, a blessing, or a comforting message of brighter days ahead.

It would take a very lengthy blog post (if not a whole book) to delve into the huge range of such connections that have existed across various cultures for thousands upon thousands of years, and doing so is beyond the scope of this post.

That said, as rainbows are such inherently magickal happenings with great significance to many cultures and faiths, I would like to share a few examples of the importance rainbows have played in various religions, spiritualities, and cultures over the years (including some of the gods and goddesses that are associated with rainbows).

-In ancient Greek mythology, the rainbow is viewed to be a pathway created by the goddess Iris between heaven and earth.

-Chinese mythology has a beautiful tale that says that a rainbow is a split in the sky which has been patched or sealed by the goddess Nuwa using five different coloured rocks or stones.

-The flood narrative of the Christian bible which sees a rainbow used to represent God’s promise to never again destroy the earth with a cataclysmic flood.

-Babylonian mythology also tells of a megaflood and how the goddess Ishtar was rather cross with the god who had caused such an epic catastrophe. To get back at him, Ishtar placed a rainbow in the sky to prevent the god from partaking of offerings left for him down on earth.  

-To the Norse, a burning rainbow bridged known as the Bifrost connects earth (Midgard) with Asgard, the home of the gods. Only the gods and those are who were slain in battled were permitted to use Bifrost.

-Armenian mythology speaks of the god Tir’s belt being a rainbow (Tir is especially associated with the sun and knowledge).

-Many Native American cultures have rainbow related myths and spiritual connections. The Navajo, for example, saw rainbows as a multi-coloured serpent that young braves chased after as part of a highly meaningful and important coming-of-age initiation right.

-Pre-Islamic Arabian mythology included a weather god named Quzah, for whom rainbows were seen to be his (hunting) bow. This reference remains in legacy to the present day by way of the Arabic word for rainbow, qaws Quzah.

-In Australian Aboriginal mythology, the rainbow snake is the Creator in the Dreaming, an ever-lasting time period that began with the creation of the world and which has no end.

-The shamans of Siberia’s Buryat people believe that they can ascend to the sky-spirit world via rainbows.

What are rainbows associated with?

Rainbows have long been associated with a wide number of things at a broader cultural level, as well as on a deeply personal level for many individuals.

These include, but are not limited to gay pride, racial equality and race-related rights, inclusivity, acceptance, spirituality, health, healing, optimism, good luck, promises, Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day, luck, hope, peace, springtime, Ostara, Beltane, rain, the sun, unicorns, faeries, the magickal arts in general, creativity and artistry, endurance, serenity, happiness, personal message from Spirit/the divine/the universe, childhood and youth, auras, ascension, liminal spaces, transcending the earthly realm, and immortality.

To say nothing of the myriad brands (including Apple) who have used rainbows or rainbow colours as part of their logos and company branding over the years.

As well, arcs themselves are commonly associated with such things as openings, bridges, paths, portals, gateways, other realms (including of consciousness), femininity, fertility, crescent moons, and unions of various sorts.

The shape of the boline – a knife that often has a white handle and a curved blade and which is used by some Wiccans, witches and those of similar spiritual paths – also lends itself well to rainbow related symbolism and workings (such as harvesting herbs, drawing or writing in the dirt or sand, or cutting cords).

What does seeing a rainbow mean?

The honest answer to this question is that seeing a rainbow is going to mean different things to different people.

Many of us have positive personal memories with rainbows which help to imbue those we see nowadays with a pleasant or happy sense of nostalgia.

While seeing a rainbow is generally an auspicious, positive event that some feel is a personal blessing, not all rainbows necessarily carry intensely deep meanings or messages for those who view them.

That said, they certain can and some of the more common messages or signs that a rainbow may be presenting you with include the following:

-Brighter, better and/or luckier days lay ahead for you.

–You are not alone. Spiritual allies, angels, or other types of guardian spirits or beings are with you and are watching over, protecting, guiding or otherwise helping you.

-Validation or confirmation that you are on the right path for your present life.

–A departed loved ones (human or animal) is letting you know that they’ve crossed over and are doing well/are at peace on the other side or that they have another (generally positive) message that they want you to know.

-It’s time for you to take a leap of faith and begin a new project, goal, or other area of your life that you may have been putting off.

-You are loved and are an important part of the earth who is here right now in this point in time because there is one or more meaningful reasons for you to be.

-It’s time to finally make a concrete choice about two or more things that you’ve been contemplating.

-Honour what your heart is telling you to do.

–Opening ourselves up to light, love, positivity, compassion, healing, and/or new beginnings.

-Make sure to stop and take note of the incredible beauty and blessings that surround us on this planet.

-Do not become so busy or stressed that life loses its sense of wonder, magic, and possibility.

-Something positive is likely coming your way.

-Passing through a rainbow (such as driving or swimming, if a rainbow is reflected on the water’s surface) may increase spiritual awareness, personal energy, and one’s sense of connection to the divine.

-Savour the present moment. Rainbows are fleeting, incredibly beautiful and highly meaningful events. They capture our attention and justifiably ask of us to slow down or briefly stop what we’re doing entirely and live in the moment. Take this important reminder with you after a rainbow has passed and remember to do the same throughout your daily life, even when a rainbow is nowhere to be seen overhead.

Rainbows encourage us to see and understand things as being diverse, multi-faceted and often far more complex than “just” being black and white.

They can represent the whole or the sum of all parts, are a universal phenomenon, and are generally viewed in a positive light and are believed to present us with optimistic or otherwise helpful messages and meanings.

Ideas for how to work rainbow magick

The sky – fittingly – is the limit when it comes to ways in which you can work with rainbows in magickal and spiritual capacities.

The following is a selection of ways that you can connect with rainbows, use rainbows in your magickal practice, and make them a year-round part of your witchy life.

-Gather rainwater during a rainbow to use for a wide range of magickal purposes. Store as you would most other magically related or magickally charged waters, labelling your rainbow water accordingly.

-Few things lend themselves better to colour magick than rainbows. Colour magick is a broad, highly fascinating topics that can easily fill many a post or book (Raymond Buckland’s Color Magick: Unleash Your Inner Powers is a great place to start if you’re looking for a detailed book on this topic).  

What colours or colours jump out at you or are most visible in the next rainbow that you see? Could these colours be a sign?

Consider working with that colour, or those particular colours, in the near future and applying them to situations that are relevant to your current life.

For example, if you saw green most dominantly, it may mean that you should focus on new beginnings, earth magick, money magick, herbology, gardening, or healthy eating. Whereas red or pink could pertain to matters of the heart, power, strength, survival, sexuality, fertility, or passion, to name but a few possible connections.

-Use makeup, face paint or another similar skin safe product to draw a rainbow or other design in rainbow colours on your body as an added measure of personal strength, protection, positivity, hope, or any other reason that you desire. You can do so in conjunction with other rainbow workings or as a standalone activity (which is especially well suited to Ostara, Beltane, and Litha).

-Wear or make jewelry or another accessory or item of clothing in a rainbow colourway or which depicts a rainbow. If possible, charge this item either with rainwater or dew gathered during a rainbow or when an actual rainbow is in sight.

By doing so, you are embedding some of the essential energy of that rainbow into your lovely piece of jewelry, which you can then wear anytime you wish to connect with, or strength a magickal working pertaining to, rainbows, their meanings or correspondences.

-For instant, on the spot magick, consider working a quick spell or other magickal act that can be done with little forewarning when a rainbow is present. If you’re able to safely to do outdoors, all the better, but doing so inside is highly effective as well – especially if you’re able to see the rainbow (such as through a window or skylight) while working your spell.

The presence of rainbows can be a terrific time to set intentions, say or sing chants or prayers, give thanks, connect with faeries, receive messages or signs from spiritual guides and angels, do releasing or banishing work, make promises to yourself or others, and to focus on matters pertaining to your aura, personal energy, or chakras.

-Work candle magick with a single candle in rainbow or chakra colours (such as these lovely rainbow taper candles), or an array of different induvial candles in the classic rainbow palette. Here’s a fantastic rainbow candle magick spell from Madame Pamita that you may enjoy.

If possible (though such is by no means essential), bless or concrete your candle with rainbow water, herbs or flower petals picked during a rainbow (either fresh or dried, depending on what you have to hand), or magickal essential oils that you’ve either charged during a rainbow or which you’ve focused rainbow inspired energy into.

And if you’re looking for an especially cool candle to use when working with rainbow candle magick, consider giving Rainbow Color Drip Candles a try.

-Much like candles, crystals come in a huge array of different colours and are a beautiful, tangible way to weave colour magick into your spellwork, altars, rituals, offerings, and other magickal activities.

A handful of crystals are somewhat rainbow-looking in terms of their colours (be they naturally occurring, artificially enhanced, or straight up manmade), such as rainbow quartz, angel aura quartz, opals, bismuth, labradorite, and fluorite.

These crystals are gorgeous and can be a fabulous way to channel the energy and correspondences of rainbows, but you can certainly use other crystals in conjunction with rainbows as well.

For example, why not try making crystal grids, crystal spell bags, crystal spell jars, crystal jewelry or charms, crystal displays on an altar, or crystal placement around your home with various crystals that collectively team up to form the colours of a rainbow?

-Make set of runes in rainbow colours or on stones, pieces of wood, shells, etc that you’ve painted in the colours of a rainbow. If possible, charge your handmade runes in the line of sight of a rainbow or bless/concrete them with rainbow water.

-Incorporate rainbow imagery into your sabbat celebrations and related spells or rituals, in particular those of the spring and summer months (Ostara, Beltane, Litha and Lammas) during which rainbows are most frequently seen.

You can also use rainbows anytime and in connection with any sabbat or other sacred day (handfastings very much included) that your heart desires.

-Create an altar set up in a rainbow colour palette or designate a portion of an existing altar to honour rainbows. Work with this sacred spot in your home anytime you need to tap into the deep meaning and spiritual guidance that rainbows can offer.

-Draw, paint, sew, stitch, bead, or otherwise create a craft project in rainbow colours or which depicts a rainbow. Think a rainbow poppet, rainbow dream sachet, rainbow wand, rainbow painted chalice or offering bowl, rainbow wreath, rainbow floral arrangement or a centrepiece in rainbow colours, rainbow dream catcher, set of garden or herb pot markers in rainbow colours, rainbow robe or cloak, rainbow soap, rainbow bath salts, or handmade rainbow candles.

-Do a rainbow tarot spread. This can take on many forms, from an arc-shaped spread to one pertaining to LGBTQ+ related readings (such as this wonderful rainbow tarot spread from Interrobang Tarot) to using a deck that includes rainbow imagery.

In some tarot decks, the Temperance and Ten of Cups cards depict rainbows, though other tarot and oracle card decks may include rainbow images in their own specific imagery on any number of different cards.

-Create a positive affirmation pertaining to rainbows. For example, you could make a point of looking at yourself in the mirror each morning and saying something along the lines of, “I am bright, I am special, I am strong, I am beautiful, and I am capable of incredible things”.

-Rainbows aren’t just in the sky! Sure, that may be one of their favourite places to reside, but don’t forget to pay attention to if the universe, Spirit, your spiritual allies, or other positive forces are trying to deliver a message or sign to you via rainbows in other forms.

Have you been seeing rainbows on things everywhere you go all of a sudden? Hearing one or more songs that star the word rainbow, such as that beloved classic, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, She’s a Rainbow by The Rolling Stones, Pocket Full of Rainbows by Elvis Presley, or Rainbow by Kacey Musgraves?

Are you dreaming or thinking about rainbows frequently as of latte?

If so, consider the possibility that a rainbow message or sign is trying to make its way through to you. Ask yourself what that could be, how you can proactively avail of the blessing of that insight from the universe, and how you can support its benefits for your life through your witchy workings.

-Photograph a rainbow, print and display that image on your altar or elsewhere in your home (or office) as a reminder of the beauty, wonder, blessings, abundance, hope, and positivity that both exist in the world at large and which you can help to bring into being in your daily life. Or for any other reason that rainbows hold personal significance for you.

-Tap into the energy that comes from a rainbow. Rainbows generally appear as the calm following a storm and may indicate that you’re entering (or are now able to create or manifest) such a state in your own life.

If you’re been going through an especially difficult or challenging time, this might feel like the gift from above that it truly is and may just be an important turning point towards brighter days ahead in your life.

Rainbow are magickal!

No two ways about it, rainbows are seriously magickal. There’s a reason they’re commonly used in conjunction with fantasy stories, to convey positivity, and as a link between this world and others beyond our mortal realm.

Like many people, I’ve had times when rainbows appeared in my life precisely when I needed the comfort, reassurance, support, or sense of joy they brought my way.

No other stands out more for me than the rainbow that appeared exactly six months to the date after the destructive arson house fire we experienced in October 2016.

It was so vivid that my husband and I pulled over onto the shoulder of the road to observe and bask in its meaningful beauty. I was moved to tears and knew that, as incredibly difficult as the past few months had been, brighter days and a return to feeling happier were coming our way again.

Seeing a rainbow never fails to spark a deep sense of wonder in me. They are mesmerizing and meaningful, relatively rare and highly poignant.

This spring and for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic, I encourage you to consider working with rainbow magick.

You might also find that placing images the depict rainbows or items that feature rainbows on them on your altar or elsewhere in your home helps you to feel more at peace, connected to the divine, and optimistic during these highly challenging times – just as various forms of rainbow magick themselves can as well.

And the next time you see a rainbow, why not enact that long-practiced ritual all its own and make a wish from deep within your heart that you hope will soon come true for yourself or a loved.

Doing so is a lovely act – and who knows, with enough intention and, for added oomph, some corresponding rainbow magick, your wish might just come true!

The post A witch’s guide to rainbow magick and working with rainbows appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

Historically, Beltane has often marked the start of the light half of the year, which is characterized by such things as abundant sunlight, warmth, and a wide variety of fresh crops.

This light-filled half will conclude, from a sabbat standpoint, with Samhain at the end of October, from which point onward the world will experience the darker half of the year. Until, in a dance that has played out since time immemorial, the cycle begins anew once more the following Beltane.

For those north of the equator (south of this point, the seasons – and, optionally, Wheel of the Year – are experienced in reverse order to those in the northern hemisphere), May and June are often a gloriously lovely time.

All of nature has come out of hibernation, the sky rivals tropical seas with the depth of its azure tones, the grass is verdant, lush and inviting to our sandal clad feet, and some of the most delicious fresh food of the entire year is once again in season.

This year, however, while all of those same things still ring true, the Covid-19 pandemic and continued need to remain in self-isolation, coupled with global food chain and supply shortages of certain products means that popping down to the nearest grocery store or farmer’s market for fresh produce may not be possible at present

Even if our local supermarkets are open, there’s no guarantee that the items we’re after will be on their shelves. Nor that we’ll be in a position – be it due to health, finances, or safety – to reach the stores nearest to us in the first place.

I’m a huge proponent of eating fresh, shopping locally, and (if feasible and so desired) growing some of your own food.

Tough times alter our lives, however. The types and availability of food that we presently have available to us is currently one of the ways in which many people are experiencing the impacts of this devastating global pandemic.

In today’s post, we are going to explore some of the foods that are closely associated with Beltane coupled with ways to make the most of those foods in store cupboard form, as that is what an ever-increasing number of us are working with for our daily menus and sabbat meals alike.

What foods are traditionally associated with Beltane?

Beltane is the Celtic May Day festival whose roots stretch far back in history, to a time of a primarily agrarian-based society the predated the industrial revolutions by hundreds upon hundreds of years.

It is one of the four traditional Celtic/Gaelic festivals that helped to delineate the seasons for these early people (the others were Samhain, Imbolc, and Lughnasadh/Lammas, respectively).

Beltane was heavily associated with the start of the summer pastoral season, fresh produce, and energy filled life, plus fiery passion, and was seen to be a time when – much as at Samhain – the veil between the worlds thinned.

The ancient Celts were certainly not the only culture to celebrate, honour and/or worship the start of May, but it is largely through their observance of this annual happening that we’ve derived much of our 21^st century interpretation of Beltane. Influences from other early European cultures, including the Norse and the Germanic peoples can be felt as well.

As this springtime sabbat is typically observed on, or right around, May 1^st, the foods that have traditionally been associated with Beltane tend to be those that are at are in season at that point in the spring.

These include, but are not limited to, the following:

-Asparagus

-Artichokes

-Baby/new potatoes

-Bannock

-Blueberries

-Carrots

-Celery

-Dairy products (vegetarians, vegans, and those who do not otherwise consume animal milk products can easily swap in dairy alternatives instead)

-Garlic (as well as wild garlic)

-Green beans

-Green peas

-Edible springtime flowers such as honeysuckle, lilacs, jasmine, roses, and violets

*IMPORTANT NOTE* Only Jasminum officinale is edible. All other jasmine species, including “false jasmine” are poisonous. Please see this page on edible flowers for more details.

-Honey

-Leeks

-Lemons

-Lettuce

-May Wine (alcoholic or non-alcoholic versions; here is a lovely May Wine recipe that you may enjoy)

-Oatcakes

-Radishes

-Ramps (a species of wild onions)

-Roses (and rose water)

-Rhubarb (in some areas, in others it may be ready later in the summer)

-Scones

-Spinach

-Spring onions

-Strawberries

-Swiss chard

-Various herbs such as chives, dill, lavender, lemon balm, rosemary, tarragon, and thyme

-Watercress

Importantly, it should be noted that the ancients did not have had access to all of these foods at the same time and in the same place. (Ye olde Whole Foods Market was definitely not a thing yet! )

However, chances are that of those they were able to harvest or otherwise obtain (such as through trading), they would likely have included a variety of these healthy offerings into their diet during the spring and early summer months.

Some of the above listed foods are going to be explored in further detail below, complete with their respective magickal correspondences.

Are fresh foods a better choice for Beltane?

While you might prefer the taste or texture of fresh versions of certain foods, from a magickal standpoint, I do not personally believe that canned, tinned, frozen, dehydrated, or otherwise non-perishable forms of food are automatically less effective, magickal, or meaningful (especially if little to no preservatives or artificial ingredients have been added to them).

You can impart, bless, charge, or otherwise imbue anything that you eat or work with in your practice with the energy and intent of your choosing.

Doing so should help to ensure that foods with far off expiration dates are just as useful and beneficial in your workings (and daily meals) as those that were just plucked from the field or tree.

Objectively, while some foods are seen as being fairly common non-perishable pantry or store cupboard staples, I have no way of knowing what you have on hand and/or may readily have access to at present.

I encourage you to keep in mind as you continue reading from this point onward, that this is not a checklist. It is totally okay if you do not currently have some or even all of these different foods at your house.

Necessity is the mother of invention and of substitution. As lovely as it is to try and eat foods that are traditionally in season – or otherwise plentifully available – at the time of each of the sabbats, if that isn’t feasible for you, please try not to worry about it.

As an alternative, you could aim instead to focus more on the colour of your food. For example, luscious greens and sunny yellows, pretty reds and elegant purples to mirror and correspond to the hues that we see in abundant in the natural world during the month of May.

As well, for the purpose of keeping things concise, I have used the terms “pantry” and “store cupboard” quite liberally here, extending them to cover various foods that you may have in canned, tinned, packaged, frozen or otherwise non-perishable form.

Naturally, if you currently have ready access to the fresh versions of these foods and wish to enjoy them during the Beltane season, by all means do so.

That said, we witchy folk are nothing if not resourceful and know that making the best of what we have at our disposal right now is one of the keys to a happier, more content, and abundantly blessed life and magickal practice alike – so reach for those store cupboard staples!

15 foods for Beltane and their magickal correspondences

1. Asparagus: Magickal properties for asparagus pertain in no small part to lust, sex, power, and fertility – making it one of the most well-suited foods to tuck into at Beltane. In addition, asparagus is linked magickally to cleansing, purifying, healing, water magick, money magick, fortitude, keeping a calm head, standing up for yourself and others, boldness, and masculine energy.

Common non-perishable forms of asparagus include frozen, pickled, and canned/tinned.

2. Artichokes: Magickal properties for artichokes tend to gravitate heavily towards matters of shielding and protection, as well as areas of personal growth, getting to the heart of the matter, letting your inner desires shine or manifest, exposing the truth, boldness, honesty, caring for others, and love of all sorts.

Common non-perishable forms of artichokes include frozen, pickled, and canned/tinned.

3. Blueberries: Magickal properties for blueberries abound – much like the healthy properties of these powerhouse fruits. Turn to blueberry magick for protection (including of pets and other animals, as well as houses and property protection), the moon, feminine energy, health, healing, restoration, aura cleansing and strengthening, divination, faeries, sweetness, vitality, completion (of projects, goals, tasks, etc), shielding and protecting from energy vampires and psychic attacks, and optimism.

Common non-perishable forms of blueberries include frozen, dehydrated, powdered, freeze-dried, syrups, jams, jellies, preserves, and canned/tinned.

4. Carrots: Magickal properties for carrots – by far one of the most iconic and beloved of springtime vegetables – include such things as grounding, healing, protection, desire, sexuality, fertility, seeing things for what they truly are, planting seeds of your desires, positivity and fun, sweetness, healing, opening your third eye, dreams, visions, youthfulness, and playfulness.

Common non-perishable forms of carrots include frozen, dehydrated, freeze-dried, jams, preserved in sweet syrups, relishes, pickled, and canned/tinned.

5. Celery: Magickal properties for celery include those that can help with a number of important areas of our lives, including mental clarity, releasing, banishing, concentration, psychic awareness and gifts, soothing, helping to pass or speed along unwanted situations, serenity, calming, weight related matters, balance and harmony, unearthing the truth, and (much like asparagus) water workings and rituals.

Common non-perishable forms of celery include frozen, dehydrated, celery salt, celery seeds, and canned/tinned.

6. Garlic: Magickal properties for garlic, one of the world’s most frequently used and adored culinary ingredients, are quite abundant and pertain to matters such as protection, luck, distancing yourself from unwanted energies and individuals, health, personal growth, masculinity, strength inclusion in witch jars, spell jars, mojo bags, and poppets; home protection, cleansing, purification, ancestor work, spell breaking, hex and curse breaking, working at the crossroads, and nighttime magick.

Common non-perishable forms of garlic include minced and crushed forms of garlic sold in jars, frozen, freeze dried, garlic salt, garlic powder, garlic paste, pickled, and canned/tinned.

7. Green Beans: Magickal properties for green beans are plentiful – much like the culinary applications for perineal springtime vegetables. Matters of divination, money, creativity, new starts, standing tall (standing up for yourself), insight, wisdom, communication, clarity, personal space, getting out of ruts, hopefulness, creativity, garden and the fae are some of the key areas where green beans can help your magickal spells and other witchy workings. (Note, these magickal properties apply to yellow wax beans as well.)

Common non-perishable forms of green beans include frozen, freeze-dried, pickled, and canned/tinned.

8. Green Peas: Magickal properties for green peas (including sugar snap peas) share points in common with those of green beans, as well as some of their own special strengths. Turn to green pea magick when you want to focus on areas relating to new growth, love, traditions, family matters, ancestor work, history, gardening, environmental protection, Gaia, strength, grounding, acceptance, serenity, and money matters.

Common non-perishable forms of green peas include frozen, freeze-dried, canned/tinned, and green pea snack crisps.

9. Honey: Magickal properties for honey flow as abundantly and beautifully as this ancient, much adored culinary treasure. Work with honey in your spells, rituals, offerings and other magickal activities that pertain to love, happiness, peace, serenity, creativity, femininity, fertility, healing, self care, vital energy, binding, friendships, reaching amicable outcomes, traditions, family, celebrating both life and death (including as an offering at cemeteries, launching new project and businesses, sweetness, kindness, romance, longevity, the sun, in hoodoo honey jars, and as an offering to a wide array of gods, goddesses, and spirit allies.

Most forms of honey, assuming they are properly stored are inherently long-lasting. If needed, honey can be frozen and thawed for later use (or used straight from its frozen form in some types of recipes).

10. Lemons: Magickal properties for lemons are generally upbeat and sunny, reminding one of the vibrant hue of this beloved citrus fruit. Make lemons your magickal main squeeze when you want to focus on spells, rituals, offerings and other witchy workings pertaining to awareness, spirituality, clarity, purification, cleansing, rejuvenation, happiness, compassion, prosperity, warm and friendly relationships, friendship, femininity, fertility, children, auras, lightness of being, dreams, breaking negative ties, optimism, and the moon. (And, my fellow Cancers may enjoy knowing that lemons are closely associated with our astrological sign, much as it is with that of Pisces.)

Common non-perishable forms of lemons include frozen, freeze-dried, dehydrated, preserved, dried lemon peel, lemon extract, lemon juice, lemon concentrate, lemon pepper, jams, marmalades, and candied lemon peel.

11. Oats: Magickal properties for oats stretch far back into the past and oats remain one of the most versatile and useful magickal ingredients you can keep in your kitchen or witchy ingredient cabinet to this day. Use oats in your magickal workings when you’re focusing on areas of happiness, health, tradition, stability, fertility, ancestor work, family matters, fortitude, endurance, persistence, personal change, meditation, house and home, beauty, friendship, faithfulness, good luck, stick-to-itiveness, comfort, healing, respect, spiritual growth, venturing out into the world, education, employment, and achieving balance in your life.

Most varieties of oats, assuming they are properly stored are inherently long-lasting. Some of the most common forms of oats include oatmeal, quick cooking oats, old-fashioned oats, rolled oats, steel-cut oats, oat flour, oatbreads, oatcakes, oat crackers, oat based breakfast cereals, granola, musali, granola bars, British flapjacks, oatmeal cookies, and oat milk.

12. Rosemary: Magickal properties for rosemary abound and this beautiful herb is one that should have a standing spot in both your magickal workings and your kitchen. Use rosemary when you’re focusing on areas pertaining to love, attraction, spicing up your life, the solar plexus, dream work, warding off nightmares, memories, loyalty, sleep, strength, kitchen witchery, home blessings and protection, family, jealousy, bonding, purification, divination, protection from the evil eye, cleaning your space, offerings, the dead, hedge riding, spirits, ancient history, creativity, strengthening relationships, rejuvenation, bathing, and the element of air.

Common non-perishable forms of rosemary include dried, frozen, rosemary paste, rosemary-infused oils, and rosemary salt.

13. Spinach: Magickal properties for spinach are strong and ample (much like the delicious culinary possibilities when cooking with spinach). Tap into the green goodness of spinach when you wish to focus your magickal workings on areas of personal growth, money, fertility, passion, strength, determination, shielding, charging, the forest (and nature in general), travel, transportation, ley lines, astral projection, or the planet Jupiter.

Common non-perishable forms of spinach include frozen, canned/tinned, and dehydrated.

14. Strawberries: Magickal properties for strawberries are generally sweet, upbeat and highly welcome – much like this sunny weather culinary staple. Turn to strawberries in your magickal workings when you’re centering your attention on romance, love, pregnancy, family, youth, beauty, femininity, positivity, hope, truthfulness, creativity, warmth, friendship, overcoming hardships, dedication, success, stamina, reliability, giving, spiritual detoxification and cleansing, good luck, or the goddess Venus.  

Common non-perishable forms of strawberries include frozen, dehydrated, freeze-dried, powdered, syrups, jams, jellies, preserves, and canned/tinned.

15. Thyme: Magickal properties for thyme include those pertaining to purifying, cleansing, releasing and banishing negativity, happiness, personal style, prosperity, sweetness, hope, stability, tradition, balance, personal freedom, boldness, positive outlooks, letting go, compassion, reaching peaceful agreements, easing anxiety and nervousness, grief, trauma processing, releasing negativity, the fae, forest spirits, history, ancestors work, finding lost items, house hunting, financial matters, longevity, creativity, performing arts, writing, and honoring the dead.

Common non-perishable forms of thyme include dried, frozen, thyme paste, thyme-infused oils, and thyme salt.

As discussed earlier in this post, it is useful to remember that the magickal properties of each of the above listed foods apply whether a given food is fresh or preserved in some manner.

I aimed to include foods in this list that are, under normal (aka, pre-Coronavirus) circumstances, relatively readily available in many parts of the world in at least one non-perishable form, such as canned, tinned, frozen or dried.

Thus making them more likely to be a store cupboard (or freezer, spice rack, etc) item that you already have in your home or which you may be able to purchase – depending on what the shops or online sources for groceries (and magickal ingredients) in your area still have in stock at the moment.

Ways to work with food at Beltane

If you’re wondering how to work with food at Beltane, you’ve come to the right place!

The following are some lovely and meaningful ways to involve springtime foods in your Beltane celebrations, rituals and magickal workings.

Before hopping into this list, I need to preface it by making an important point. If you – or anyone in your household/family – need every last bite of food at present, please do not sacrifice even so much as a single blueberry or crumb of oatcake for purposes that do not involve human or pet consumption of said food.

It is a wonderful thing to celebrate the sabbats with food-related activities and festive meals, but we are currently living through some exceptionally different and difficult times and survival must always come first.

So with that important point established, let’s continue on and explore a number of different ways to perform Beltane kitchen witchery and otherwise work with food at Beltane in a magickal context.

–Place offerings of food on your altar or in another spot in your house (or yard) for whatever spirit allies, deities, elementals, angels, or other entities you presently work with.

–Hold a dumb supper. While most commonly associated in a modern Pagan sense with Samhain, the act of holding a silent – or “dumb” – supper in order to honour the departed is a poignant act that is inherently at home come Beltane as well.

This is especially true since Beltane and Samhain are exactly opposite each other on the Wheel of the Year and both are liminal times when the veil between the worlds grows thinner. If you’d like to learn more about Dumb Suppers, I suggest checking out this guest post I wrote on the subject back in 2018.

-Whip up some delicious Beltane recipes and have an early morning feast to welcome the rising sun on Beltane morn (or later in the day as a fun and festive May Day brunch.

-Make a batch of beautiful Beltane cupcakes or a charmingly lovely May Pole Cake, both of which honour the centuries old tradition of dancing around a maypole at the start of May.

–Anoint candles with dried or fresh herbs or flower petals (ensure that anything you burn is safe to be inhaled by humans and any animal friends who live with you).

–Mix dried or fresh herbs with salt (white, black, pink, etc – depending on what you’re aiming to accomplish or manifest) and use it to cleanse, bless, protect, or banish unwanted elements or energies from your house, by sprinkling the herbed salt mixture in various areas inside or out of your home (again, make sure any ingredients you use are safe for pets and humans – especially if you live with children).

–Create healthy, all-natural treats for your beloved pets using some of the same store cupboard ingredients that you may be tucking into this Beltane. For example, these 4-Ingredient Dog Treats that star blueberries and whole wheat flour or these inviting looking Carrot and Catnip Kitty Treats.

-Make a loaf of bread, cake, batch of cookies, tray of brownies, or another recipe that includes two or more of the Beltane foods listed in this post for extra seasonal potency.

For example, what about a carrot, thyme and lemon cake? Why not a vegan pot pie with green peas, spinach, leeks and assorted herbs? Or why not a delicious overnight oatmeal loaded with strawberries and blueberries, plus rosemary or lavender, if you have some to hand.

–Connecting all the more with the fae is one of the key elements of Beltane for some folks, myself included. Why not bake classic oatcakes, scones, Fried Honey Cakes, or Elderflower Fritters to leave as an offering for those faeries who inhabit your immediate environment.

-If you have access to pesticide-free edible flowers that are safe for human consumption, consider creating a gorgeous flower-infused honey that celebrates two of spring’s most meaningful (and delicious elements).

This Rose Honey recipe does the trick superbly (and would also make for a wonderful drizzle atop a wide range of Beltane baked goods, from muffins to cakes to berry crisps, crumbles, and buckles).

-If you’re imbibing this Beltane or otherwise utilizing alcohol in your workings, rituals or offerings, consider adding some delectable spring fruits – such as strawberries and blueberries or, if you can get them, early season or frozen peaches – to the wine or your choice for a delectable Beltane sangria.

–Start a book of your favourite sabbat recipes or magickal recipes, including those for Beltane, and add to it each time you hit upon a dish that’s a winner. Alternatively, jot down your sabbat recipes in your grimoire, book of shadows, or another existing book in which you record information pertaining to your path.

Creating our own light during the darkest of times

Beltane is a time to actively embrace, honour and celebrate the sunshine generated light that has returned to our world.

To this end, bonfires have long been a traditional part of many Mayday festivities and rituals. They are not the only way to let the light shine all the more brightly in our lives, however.

Things are not just tough, they’re out and out brutal for the planet as a whole right now.

At Beltane, I encourage you to look for safe, meaningful ways that you transmit energy, positivity and hope out into the world.

Ensure that you focus on your own well being, while also remembering that of others and the countless ways that we are each doing our best to stay afloat, keep our worlds intact as best we can, and remain alive during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In addition to working with seasonal foods and kitchen witchery in general, ask yourself what are some things you could do right now to brighten your days or those of others?

Much as there is a limitless amount of energy in the universe, so too do we have a profound amount of both inner energy and light that resides within ourselves.

This Beltane, tap into and honour that light.

Let it shine, allow it to help you process and cope with the current state that the world is in, and permit it to guide you onward through the remaining months of 2020 that lay beyond May 1^st.

With all my might, I wish you a safe, sacred, beautiful, and blessed Beltane.

The post 15 excellent pantry staple foods for Beltane and their magickal properties appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

And, generally, that is true. I started to have that train of thought myself when the idea for today’s entry hit me, then I had to laugh. Sure, I could hold off, but I’d be doing so for another four years!

You see, we’re just nine days away from February 29^th, which makes 2020 a leap year. And while I consider myself a patient soul, four years is just a tad too long to wait on such a fun, date-specific post.

So without further ado, let’s hop right into and get to working some Leap Year Magick!

Why do we need Leap Years?

Perhaps no other day is more mysterious, unique and even chic than February 29^th. It’s like that ultra-cool, super elusive celebrity – or relative – who only makes rare guest appearances once in a great while.

Yet what is a Leap Year and why do we need one?

Thousands of years ago, the ancient Egyptians (though I personally suspect even earlier societies took note of this fact as well) observed that it actually takes the earth a tad more than 365 days to revolve around the sun.

How much longer, you may ask? Roughly 1/4^th of a day per longer per year.

The earth circles the sun once, approximately, every 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 45 seconds. The technical term for the duration of the year when it is measured this way is a Solar Year or a Tropical Year, which astronomers measure beginning on the spring equinox.

Hence, in the context of the current Gregorian calendar that much of the modern world uses, we need leap years to help ensure that earth’s revolutions and our calendar itself remain in synch.

If we didn’t add an extra day into the calendar every four years, we would lose about six full hours from our current calendar each year.

That might not seem like too big of a deal at first glance, but over time, the missing hours would quickly compound into days and weeks. In fact, it would only take a hundred years for the Gregorian calendar to end up about twenty-four days short! (In other words, the better part of a full month.)

The extra day – which is technically called an intercalary day – that we require to help keep our calendar system working effectively is tucked onto the end of every fourth February, as February is the shortest month of the year.

It is generally believed that the ever-industrious Roman general Julius Caesar was the first person to introduce the concept of a leap year into the calendar system, though the process involved with the frequency of said leap years would take many hundreds of years more to develop more closely into that which we now use today in the 21^st century.

And did you know, those who are born on February 29^th are known as Leaplings? These folks only get to technically celebrate their February 29^th birthday every time a leap year appears, but many opt to observe it on either February 28^th or March 1^st on leap year-less years.

February 29^th is a liminal day

Occurring as it does once every four years, February 29^th is a rare day. It exists, that much is true, but the fact that it does so on such an infrequent basis makes a highly charged, unique and powerful day that exists both in situ and betwixt the realms.

It is a liminal time, not completely unlike periods such as those surrounding Samhain and Beltane, respectively, when the veil is especially thin.

February 29th is a day and time on the edges and periphery. A brief period of once-ever-four-years time that quickly transforms into the more commonplace occurrence of March 1st.

What kind of magick should you do on the Leap Year?

Any kind your heart desires! Though, that said, now is a phenomenal time to set long-term spells, manifestations, and plans into place.

Some examples of these kinds of long-term magickal workings include the following:

-Banishing work.

-Beginning a new journal, Book of Shadows, Grimoire or other personally meaningful spiritual or magickal related record.

-Breaking bad/negative/unwanted habits.

-Bringing your deepest, most poignant dreams into reality.

-Burry, in either a more literal or a figurative or representative way, aspects of your life, magick practice, and spiritual journey that no longer serve you well or which are holding you back from blossoming in the ways that you need and want.

I am especially fond of doing banishing work involving written messages or intentions and burying them outdoors at either 4 am or 4 pm on February 29^th (the hour of four-o-clock corresponding to the fact that leap years generally transpire once every four years).

-Committing yourself to thoroughly learning a subject, art, technique, etc that pertains to your magickal practice.

-Engaging in long-term shadow work.

-Fertility magick.

-Health, wellness, and fitness-related workings and goals.

-Launching new projects, such as a business, blog or website, volunteer endeavour, or doing home renovations.

-Long-term goal setting, specifically if you have any goals or plans that may take up to four years to complete (though this is not mandatory and shorter, though still significantly lengthy goals can be set into motion now as well).

-Love magick to help you find, if desired, a long-term partner (you can also perform friendship magick to help bring new long-term friends into your life as well – keep in mind that love magick does not have to strictly be romantic by any means; plutonic love is highly important in most peoples’ lives as well).

And speaking of love and romance, historically, in certain parts of the world – particularly in Ireland, was an old tradition that women could reverse the standard practice of the day and, on February 29^th, ask their beloved to marry them instead of waiting for their honeys to do the proposing (as seen in the vintage image above).

-Planting/starting a new garden or a brand new section of an existing garden.

-Starting something new that will require one or more years of your life.

-Workings pertaining to courage, tenacity, bravery, and fortitude.

Shorter-term magick for the leap year

With February 29^th being such a relatively rare day, it is an ideal time to engage in magickal workings of any length.

If you’re feeling drawn towards shorter-term magick and spiritual undertakings, here are some useful suggestions that you may wish to put into practice specifically on the last day of this February.

-Astral projection and lucid dreaming.

-Courage magick to help you do something that you’ve been struggling to muster the gumption needed to undertake.

-Curse and hex breaking (or placing, if that’s up your alley).

-Doing twelve-month tarot and oracle card spreads to help provide you with a clearer picture of your life over between now and next February.

-Ethically gathering/sourcing natural materials from the outdoors to use in your witchy workings for the coming year.

-Finding lost objects. February 29^th is “hidden” for a few years at a time, when it reappears, jump at the chance to use its powerfully unique energy to aid you in locating missing or lost items.

-Hedgeriding.

-Negative energy reversal work.

-Protection and invisibility/cloaking magick.

-Realign – or begin realigning – areas of your life that may be off-kilter, out of whack, topsy-turvy or otherwise not aligned as you’d ideally like.

-Seeking spirit allies, both animal and non-animal related.

-Shamanic work (done respectfully and mindfully of the traditions and beliefs of the culture whose practices you are enacting or drawing inspiration from).

-Strengthening psychic abilities.

-Take a leap of faith in yourself, your abilities, a new job, someone you trust, a new opportunity – just about anything, really. If ever there was a day for such a leap, February 29^th is definitely it!

-Work with the current astrological chapter of the year, Pisces, a water sign, and the twelfth sign of the zodiac (the annual cycle of which begins anew with Aries, which generally begins on or right around March 20th).

-Working with the faery folk in your immediate area and letting them know that you’re thinking of them at on this naturally enchanted day.

Are leap years lucky or are leap years unlucky?

Some people, both inside and out of the Pagan and witchy world, believe that February 29^th is a wonderfully lucky day.

Just as, others – perhaps more so in the past – such as the Scottish and Greeks of yore, saw it as an unlucky date. Indeed, the Greeks thought it was unlucky to marry point blank during a leap year, but especially to do so on February 29^th itself.

I’m always leery of dubbing a particular date as being inherently lucky, but can’t help thinking that the rarity and charged liminal energy of February 29^th lends itself to potentially increasing one’s luck, good fortune, and all-around positivity on that specific date.

Leap year magickal correspondences

Generally speaking, a lot of the correspondences that apply to February 29^th are ones that hold true for the month of February as a whole.

As well, you may find that things and correspondences which are especially rare or hard to come by – much like the rarity of leap years themselves – feel right for your workings and sacred space on this special day.

The following is a list of magickal correspondences for February:

-Trees: Cedar, pine, rowan, cypress, and laurel.

-Herbs, spices, and flowers: Hyssop, bay leaves, anise, myrrh, sandalwood, frankincense, pine needles and pine resin, cinnamon, nutmeg, ylang-ylang, mint, rosemary, balm of Gilead, sage, thyme, basil, tansy, wisteria, jasmine, heliotrope, palmarosa, lemon balm, primrose, heather, snowdrops, and patchouli.

-Colours: White, blue, violet, purple, grey, light yellow, pale green, pink, red, brown, silver and gold.

-Crystals and stones: Clear quartz, diamonds, rose quartz, citrine, amethyst, fluorite, silver, pyrite, angelite, aquamarine, ruby, garnet, jasper (including dalmatian jasper), ammolite, bloodstone, turquoise, black tourmaline, onyx, and selenite.

-Animals: Sheep, cows, foxes, rabbits, hares, bears, deer, otters, groundhogs, prairie dogs, eagles, robins, owls, chickadees, blue jays, and unicorns.

-Gods and Goddesses: Brigit, Kuan Yin, Diana, Eros, Persephone, Aphrodite, Demeter, Venus, Selene, The Muses, Mars, Pan, Boann, Shakti, Branwen, Parvati, and Bast.

Nature spirits: The fae, including faeries who are connected to the home, one’s property and garden.

-Foods: Those associated with Imbolc and the end of the winter, with an emphasis on warm spices, fresh citrus fruits, grains, seeds, breads, potatoes, and most types of fresh and dried green herbs.

-Magickal supplies: Candles, salt, dried herbs (including those listed above), tools made out of silver and silver-tone metals, altar tiles, crystal wands, and ogham runes.

-Elements: Air and water, though fire is an important element for February as well, particularly as it relates to Imbolc.

-Astrological sign: February 29^th falls during the time of Pisces, whose ruling element is water. Pisces is ruled by Neptune and is represented by a fish.

A leap year spell to help you get over hurdles in your life

What you’ll need

-A large bay leaf (use more than one leaf if needed) or another type of dried leaf that is suitable for writing on

-An environmentally friendly writing material, such as Natural Earth Paint or vegetable ink, or if that is not possible, a permanent marker in the colour of your choice (I’d suggest picking one that aligns with the intentions behind your spell)

-Optional, an eco-friendly offering to leave in the area where you perform the working outdoors. Things such as lovely rocks, attractive leaves, springs of herbs, and pieces of fruit are often good choices.

How to perform this spell

Select a natural spot that safely allows for you to throw something into it without damaging the natural environment. (I CANNOT STRESS THIS POINT ENOUGH – PLEASE BE SUPER SAFE!)

This could be a small hill, a river, a gully, an abandoned/no longer used well, or another suitable spot in your area.

If possible (though it is not imperative), prior to 4 am on February 29^th, gather the materials listed above and visit the spot you’ve selected. Ensure that you are dressed warmly, if the weather is less than favourable.

Arrive at the spot a little before 4 pm (if possible), take several deep, soothing breaths in and out, and focus on your surroundings. As you do so, think about an area in your life that you’ve been struggling to overcome or more past.

This could be just about anything. From ditching an unwanted habit to working up the courage to ask for a raise at work to finally standing up for yourself with your in-laws.

Once you clearly know what you’re focusing on, write the name of that issue on the leaf or leaves that you brought with you. A single word or just a few words will likely suffice here, no need for lengthy paragraphs in such a small space.

Hold the leaf (or leaves) in your hands and (if doing so is safe in the area that you’re visiting) close your eyes. Focus your energy on the leaves and envision the strength that you need to overcome this issue in your life entering your body, as you transfer the energy, fear, stress, anxiety, and so forth from yourself that may be holding you back into the leaf or leaves.

Safely approach wherever you are going to throw the leaf/leaves. Right before you toss this trouble away from yourself, say the following words (or ones of your choosing):

“I am projecting that which holds me back away from my body, my spirit, and my life. I tap into the energy of this liminal, rare leap year day and ask that it help give me the courage and strength to overcome this hurdle that I’ve been dealing with once and for all. So mote it be.”

Scrunch up the leaf/leaves and throw them away from you. As they weigh very little, they may not travel far, so you might have better luck dropping them, rather than throwing them.

Step back, take a few more deep breaths, and concentrate on the natural energy of your surroundings, as well as that of February 29^th. When you feel ready, thank the environment and Leap Year for assisting you (if you brought an offering to leave, do so now) and carry on with the rest of your day.

What does the leap year mean to modern witches and Pagans?

Like so much in our individual practices, this will vary from person to person. For some, it may just be an extra day at the end of February. For others it is a time to engage in long term magickal workings, take chances and proverbial leaps in our lives, focus on the magick of a day whose presence is only felt and experienced once every four years, and celebrate the rarity of February 29^th.

I get downright giddy when we get treated to an extra day. It feels so deliciously secretive – even if most people know about leap years. Perhaps then, it is one of those secrets that we wear on our sleeves. They’re private, but not as concealed as we might have the rest of the world believe.

Whatever the case, I’m on board with the leap year big time and am delighted that the idea for this post struck me just in the nick of time (and that I jumped on the opportunity to pen it when I did).

I encourage you to look for ways to tap into the energy, strength, unique qualities, and hurdle busting properties of the leap year on this special day that we won’t experience again for another four years.

What are your magickal plans for February 29^th?

The post Leap year magick, correspondences, and a spell for February 29th appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.

I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions. Never have been, doubt I ever will be. If the need to resolve or change something in my life is present, I’ll start putting in the effort, leg work, time, intention, and supportive magickal workings to implement that change at any point in the year.

I can see the value in New Year’s resolutions and are not dissing them or saying they don’t hold merit. I firmly believe that they do for some people, but for those of us of a witchy ilk, we know that we have the ability to change, grow and transform our lives within us 24/7.

One of the best ways to help support ourselves, our spiritual paths and our magick all year round is to ensure that we make these things an important focal point of our lives.

Today, I’m going to be sharing twelve effective ways to help you create a more magickally focused year.

It doesn’t matter if you’re the witchiest witch who has ever witched, a complete witchy newcomer, or anywhere in between. We can all continue to add to, finetune, and hone the ways in which we actively and consciously work to foster magick in our lives all year through.

1. Stop comparing yourself to others, both inside and out of the witchy/Pagan community

This is a subject that I’m passionate about. If you follow me on Instagram you may have heard me talk about it in depth there before, as it’s something that becomes all the more crucial to me the older I grow.

You are you, plain and simple. When and why this stopped being not just “enough”, but “good enough” is up for debate.

The fact of the matter is that many of us currently live in a world where we are under more pressure than possibly ever before in human history to “live our best life” 24/7/365 and to make sure that every Tom, Dick and Harry on the planet knows about it.

Enough. Seriously, enough.

Free yourself. Let go of impossible standards, of factors that comprise other peoples’ lives not your own, of the sense that you’re failing, when chances are, you are not.

Own who you are. Accept who you are. Love and nurture who you are.

Take that energy, that worry, that thought, that anxiety of comparison and transform it in creating a life and spiritual journey that you yourself adore with all your heart, regardless of if it will ever generate a single social media like.

This can be easier said than done, I know, and may not occur overnight. However, you owe it to yourself to start now. Literally right now. Just think about the progress you may be able to make come this time next year.

2. Eat well. Really well.

As adults, we’re usually free to eat whatever our budget, health and taste buds permit. There are pros and cons to this, and in the latter camp is the fact that it can be dangerously easy to eat food that barely warrants being called as much.

You’ve likely heard the classic adage before that our bodies are temples. They truly are, but moreover, they are machines and like any machine that we want to have function at the best level that it possibly can, we need to take care and treat our bodies with love and respect.

One of the best and most effective ways to do this is to eat as well as we can on a regular basis.

The better you eat, the healthier you stand to be, the more energy you are apt to have, and – depending on your own personal diet – the more you may be able to help the planet in the process.

Aim to eat clean, whole, healthy, nutritious foods as frequently as possible. Build (or further cement) loving, mindful relationships with your food. Try to eat on the run as little as you realistically can. Turn off the TV, set the table and eat your meal mindfully. Create and partake of food with those you care about.

Weave kitchen and cottage witchery in your meals. Grow, if possible, some of your own food. Learn about the magickal properties of what you’re putting into your body. Share some of your food as offerings to the deities, ancestors, spirits, fae, etc that you work with; use food as part of your sabbat activities, stop eating anything that makes you feel poorly.

3. Tie up loose ends and ditch clutter

You know that mountain of junk mail and old bills on the dining room table or kitchen island? What about those spells you started on your altar, didn’t get immediate results with and just sort of let peter out over time? How about the closet cleanout you’ve been promising yourself you’d do ever since you read Marie Kondo’s book?

Yep, that, all that and so much more weighs on us in ways both subtle and more perceivable.

Anything that steals joy, impacts your mental, emotional, physical or spiritual well being, causes you undo stress, and takes away from time and/or mental focus that doesn’t have to be a part of your life needs to go.

Trust me, you’ll be surprised how much having a clutter-free dining table impacts your happiness levels and how renewed you will feel when you can look around your house, your sacred spaces, and your life as a whole and know that you’ve unburdened yourself from things that serve no meaningful purpose any longer.

4. Set limits on the amount of time that you spend online – especially on social media

Our time is one of the most precious, sacred and limited resources we will ever have. There is no getting a moment back. As soon as it has passed, it becomes part of the collective memory bank of the universe.

This year, why not set daily limits on the amount of time that you spend online, including on social media, which is one of the biggest time sinks of modern life for countless people the world over.

Personally, while the amount of time I spend on the web varies most days, for about two years now, I’ve maintained strict limits on the amount of time I spend on social media (which for me, primarily consists of Instagram and Pinterest) each day.

I set the cap at three hours all total per day, but do not feel that I must “use up” all this time. I also intentionally have 1 – 2 social media free days per week and at least one wholly internet free day each week.

I set my own cap at three hours, because that is just over 1/10^th of the total number of hours we all have in each twenty-four day. I’m presently okay with allocating that much of most of my days to this activity, but I have no desire – or need – to live on social media around the clock.  

My time, just like yours, is invaluable and while I enjoy many aspects of the web and social media, it is vital to me that I spend ample quantities of time focusing on off-line activities as well.

From going outdoors to working at my altar, enjoying time with our dog, reading books, creating craft projects, doing spellwork and rituals, meditating, writing snail mail letters, and much more, it is imperative that the online side of my life never eclipses my offline one (believe me, I’ve been there before and I’ve long vowed to never let it happen again).

Only you know what is good amount of time to spend online and on social media is in the scope of your own life.

You may find that a 2 – 4 hours per day feels right for you and still allows you time to focus on other areas of your life (while continuing to do the things we need to accomplish in our days, such as working, tending to our homes and families, and making time for our spiritual well being).

Or you you might prefer 30 minutes, 5.5 hours, or zero time at all. Social media may be exceedingly commonplace, but it that does not mean that it has to be a part of your life. Not for a moment.

5. Read non-witchy books to foster your witchiness

I’m the first person to delve into a great witchy book and am not, in any way, advocating that you don’t read such titles.

Instead, I encourage you to also read about other subjects that will foster your path, deepen your knowledge, broaden your mind, and provide you with knowledge and/or helpful skills that you can put to work in your spiritual journey.

Nearly any non-fiction book could potentially relate to at least one person’s path, but in general, some topics to consider reading more about are:

-The history and environment of where you live (all the better to know the genius loci in your area by)

-The history of countries that you have ancestral ties to

-Forest bathing

-Forging

-Wildcraft

-Traditional ways of living

-Candle making

-Religions/faiths/spiritualities other than your own

-Cooking and food history

-Astronomy

-The weather

-Earth science subjects

-Animals and insects

-Mycology

-Cemeteries and the broader subject of death in general

-The history of the Burning Times and the persecution of witches in general

-Cunning folk

-Alternative medicine

-How to make your own personal care and/or beauty products

-Herbology

-Substantial living

-Arts and crafts

-Personal growth

-Living mindfully

-Time management

-Paranormal topics

-Philosophy

-Psychology

Reading doesn’t have to mean a physical book either, though many of us do prefer this classic information delivery method.

Audiobooks and ebooks are great options, too, and countless titles abound in both camps.

6. Be grateful and count your blessings

You know the fact that you’re currently alive? Do you happen to know what the astronomical odds of that happening are? (About 1 in 400 trillion.)

Start with the miracle of your existence and then take time on a regular basis to reflect on the blessings in your life and to give thanks for the positives that you are fortunate to have.

I know that this can be tricky at times, especially if your life is in turmoil right now, but that is often when it is even more imperative that we focus on whatever good/positive things are part of our current reality.

Being grateful doesn’t mean that you’re accepting your current lot in life and throwing in the towel.

It means that you acknowledge those rays of light that are still managing to shine through the darkness of this bleak and difficult time.

No matter if things are going well or not for you right now, consider creating an altar or designating part of your existing altar (or other sacred space) specifically to giving thanks, keeping a gratitude journal, or meditating on your blessings.

You might be surprised to realize just how many blessings and reasons to be thankful there are in your life already.

7. Cleanse on a regular basis

While it is a good idea to shower or bathe regularly, in this instance, I’m talking about your home.

Whether we live on our own, with a partner, or ten other people, a certain amount of energy naturally accumulates in a house over the course of time. Some it is good, some of it, well, not so much.

The lingering energy of stress, medical challenges, arguments, heartbreak, bad news, and conversely, yes, even the OTT exhilaration of special events and important milestones can all impact the energy flow and levels of where we reside. As do all of those seemingly mundane things, from cooking to putting the kids to bed, that fill our daily lives.

If you’re not already cleansing your home on a regular basis, consider doing so once a month (or more often as needed – though if you need to do so on a highly frequent basis, you may need to deal with the root issues that are calling for a cleansing in the first place).

You can smudge, use incense (always ensure fire safety when using any lit item), sweep with a broom or besom, use purposely created cleansing sprays, singing bowls or drum beating, salt, charged water, essential oils (ensure you either wipe them away after or use oils that are safe for pets and children, if there’s any risk of little ones coming in contact with the essential oil you’ve used), crystals, or whatever method suits your needs.

Remember after every cleansing to allow the negative/stale energy that you’re riding our house/living space with to escape by opening up a door or window and directing the undesired energy out of that opening (otherwise you stand to have it linger in your home, potentially rendering the cleansing ineffective).

8. Set, and complete, small spiritual-related goals on a regular basis

A lot of times people experience spiritual burnout or begin to feel disconnected from their practice because they think that they need to turn every spell, BOS writing season, sabbat, full moon and visit to their altar into some grand, elaborate production that requires copious amounts of time.

While I believe that it’s important to devote larger swaths of time to spiritual-related workings, when realistically possible, if one feels inclined, I also believe that it is vital to engage with our witchery and/or Paganism on a regular basis.

Look for ways that you can set and keep spiritually focused goals that don’t require heaps of time or larger goals that you can break down into smaller, easier to tackle pieces.

Examples of small, meaningful goals could include things like doing one spell that requires 30 minutes of time or less a week, planting a some herbs in pots on your deck or a window box, spending 15 minutes three times a week outdoors to mindfully connect with nature in your area and grow more familiar with how each season and type of weather looks and behaves where you live, performing a five-minute tarot or oracle reading, scrying for a few minutes, changing up your altar, creating a no-cook or no-bake dish for a sabbat or other spiritually important event, creating a witches jar or bottle, or putting your crystals out to charge.

There is so much positivity, happiness, sense of accomplishment, renewed energy, and mental clarity – not to mention, creativity and inspiration – that can come from setting, carrying out and completing goals.

Honour yourself and your practice by experiencing these wonderful benefits, while focusing on your spiritual journey at the same time.

9. Figure out what actually works for you and ditch the rest

No matter when you began your magickal journey, chances are that along the way, you’ve added things to your repertoire that you thought you needed to do (or be), often because just about every witchcraft or Paganism or Wicca 101 book told you to do/be/practice/believe/buy those things.

Even if you were born into a family of witches/Pagans already (aka, hereditary witchcraft), it’s highly likely that there are still things you picked up from others along the way that don’t actually jive with your own unique spiritual path.

And sometimes, the things that once did the job for us, may no longer serve us in the ways that we want and need them to function in our lives.

This is totally normal and perfectly okay.

When we’re just starting out with something that we enjoy and feel passionate about, it’s practically part and parcel that we throw ourselves (and often our pocketbooks, too) into trying and buying all manner of things relating to that area of interest.

As time goes on though, we may find ourselves doing or holding onto practices, beliefs, and physical items out of habit or the fear that we won’t appear “witchy enough” we don’t do or own certain things.

This, I can wholeheartedly assure you, is not the case. In fact, I would argue that the more you concentrate on those areas of your practice that feel most align with your heart and soul at the present moment, the greater your power, energy, and spirituality stand to be.

So if you’ve been pulling tarot cards and just not feeling it, no matter what you try, or you’ve been meditating like it’s going out of style but feel like you’d rather have a root canal instead, try stepping away from those things and focusing your attention on the areas of your practice that spark joy and which you’ve had success with instead.

10. (If you celebrate them… ) Get to know the sabbats better

While there is no shortage of witches, Pagans, and even a percentage of Wiccans who do not actively observe some or all of the eight sabbats that comprise the Wheel of the Year, plenty of us do.

If that includes you, why not make this the year that you learn even more about the history, traditions, correspondences, changes in nature, foods and other elements that comprise Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lammas, Mabon, Samhain, and Yule?

Humbly, I consider myself pretty well versed on the sabbats at this point in my life. I’m the first, however, to actively seek out further information, particularly when it comes to the historical roots of these days that are a sacred and integral part of the lives of many 21^st century witches and Pagans.

Think about ways to put the knowledge that you acquire to work in your practice, use them to help you connect all the more with the sabbats, and let them support your magickal workings all through the year, not just on these eight highly meaningful points in the year themselves.

If you do not observe the sabbats, consider learning more about, and deepening your connection, with the days that you personally hold as sacred instead (including, if applicable, the key lunar cycle stages).

11. Hone your intentions

Chances are you’ve heard or read that intention is at the heart of most successful magickal workings. I don’t generally disagree with this statement, but I think it is important that we approach intention knowing clearly and concisely what it is that we’re being intentional about in the first place.

Just as a recipe wouldn’t be overly successful if someone told you to just add any six ingredients together in whatever proportions floated your boat, so too do magickal working operate most effectively when we lay out specific perimeters in terms of what we want and how we’re going to help make those things happen.

It is important to be as specific about our intentions as possible. Be mindful of what it is you truly want and need, what steps you’re going to take to try and make those things happen, what you wish to manifest in your life, and how you’ll respond if things do or do not go as you’d hoped or intended.

12. Be kind to yourself and others

If there’s one thing our world is in serious need of as we enter this new decade of human history, it is more kindness. Towards our planet itself, toward one another, towards animals, towards ourselves.

There are many scientifically supported benefits of being kind. I personally think that there are scores of spiritual benefits that stem from kindness as well.

Kindness is a gift that we have the ability to source from a never-ending well inside ourselves.

This doesn’t per se mean that we should spend every second of every day focusing solely on kindness (taking this approach can potentially backfire and cause burnout or even a sense that one is being taken advantage of), but rather that we have it within ourselves to be kind in a multitude of ways all throughout our lives.

Whether one personally believes in the Threefold Law or not, generally speaking, we tend to experience positives in return when we’re kind.

Can doing something nice come back to bite us in the behind? Sometimes, yes. That isn’t fair, but it’s life. Thankfully though, for most of us, such occasions are the exception, not the norm.

Acts of kindness are a vital part of life. I firmly believe that we’ve made it this far as a species and a planet in no small part because of kindness. It is a fundamental building block, part of the glue that holds society together, and just a flat-out lovely thing to give of yourself.

And speaking of yourself, be sure to extend kindness your own way throughout the course of your daily life.

We’re often our own harshest critic and toughest taskmasters. We let our inner monologues say things to us that we’d likely never sit ideally by and take on the chin if someone else said the same words to us.

In many other ways, we can be unwittingly or unintentionally harsh on ourselves, too. Find methods to be kinder to yourself, such as listing at least three things a day that you did which you’re proud of yourself for, engaging in acts of self-care, carving out time to focus on your deepest passions, ensuring that you’re spiritual needs are being looked after, connecting with nature, making your health a priority, and doing things that are just plain fun.

How to stay magickally focused this year (and beyond)

Much like with New Year’s resolutions, which are notorious for starting strong and fizzling out long before the intended goal was reached, it is possible to head into a brand new year with the aim of making it a more magickally focused one and quickly lose steam.

To help prevent this from happening, I encourage you to be realistic. You do not need to do all of the entries on this list, nor do you necessarily need to do more than one of them at a time (though some do have a natural degree of overlap).

Start with the one(s) that speak to you most powerfully or which you’ve already been meaning to incorporate into your spiritual path to a greater degree. Consider approaching some now and others later in the year.

If, as the year progresses, you feel overworked, overwhelmed or like you do not have enough time, scale back, but stay mindful of ways to apply the guiding principles that appealed to you in the first place to your life and magickal workings.

Consider keeping track (journaling, social media posts, book of shadows/grimoire entries, etc) of which approaches you’re currently engaging with and what sorts of results you’re experiencing.

Use these ideas as jumping-off points for other ways that you can continue to make this one of your most meaningful and magically focused years.

And remember, to have fun, be realistic, never stop growing and evolving, and to celebrate each day that you’re blessed to draw air.

Here’s to 2020 and all of the magick it holds in store for each of us!

The post 12 ways to live a more magickally focused year appeared first on Witchcrafted Life.