31 Days of Samhain: The 2015 Edition. Day 1

Hi my loves, long time no see.

I know it's been two years since I have been here and I missed you guys so much. I've been gone for a while and been struggling on how to come back so I decided to just come on back, no big to do just come back and enjoy my writing and sharing with you.

This month I plan to vlog and blog and share all the fun I'm having this month reveling in the season. I have some projects I wish to share, some ideas for the season and some shopping events I wish to go to, and I want you to come along.

Are you planning to do anything fun?? Share down below.

Thank you and happy Samhain season.

Happy And Blessed Samhain 2013

Hello my loves and welcome the blessed new year!!!! I hope your Samhain was amazing and made you happy, reflective and determined that the new Year bring much better news, or even carry on the news you have been listening to.

Mine was great filled with lots of laughter, and love from siblings and bonding moments, especially over Scandal which totally slayed last night, but I digress.  There are many new plans in the works, wonderful ideas to share and a new determination to not only explore my faith, but the walk the talk even more in the coming year and share it with y'all as much as I can. It's going to be EPIC!!!

Are y'all ready?? Well come on then, let's get started.

Welcome in the New Year
With Brightest Blessings and much Love and Light

Blessed Samhain

*This is a repost since for some reason Blogger screwed up (or it could have been me), but somehow the post for Samhain was erased and replaceed with something else. So here's what i think was up*


Have a Happy and Blessed Samhain my loves, May the Gods and Goddesses Bless you in this new Year. .


Fly Safe and happy trick or treating.

Samhain Prayers

There are many different prayers, the one's you make-up are of course the best ones which you can pray!!  I generally just wing it, but I have found that there are many different prayer books on the market, This one I love and it has many great prayers inside.  These prayers are from "A Book of Pagan Prayer" :

Prayer for the Festival of the Dead

• I pray to all the Gods of death of darkness, of sorrow. Though I do not love you, I respect you. Though I do not welcome you, I honor you. Though i do no invite you into my life. I know you are already there.
• Eat with us, Ancestors, on this night of the dead. Share our meal with us, and then go on your way.
• Wild geese flying overhead on your journey south, bear away with you on your thundering wings, the cares that have made my summer weary. Cry out my pain, passing over the darkened land, until the air ocean sail washes away.

                 Offering that can be made to the Gods and Goddesses of Death are:
Beer, Mead, Wine. Bread,  for the Hunter Gods and Goddesses  can also be Meat if you are a meat eater or a hunter you can place a piece of something you have hunted, or even a feather from the birds or a piece of hide from the deer.


Hope these were helpful
Blessed Be 

Samhain Stories: Tam Lin

One of my favorite Samhain stories has got to be Tam-lin.  It's a Faerie tale and an amazing romance story at the same time.  And it goes a lot like this:

Tam-Lin

The King forbade his maidens all   

who wore gold in their hair

To come and go by Caterhaugh,

For the young Tam Lin is there.

And those that go by Carterhaugh

From them he takes a fee,

Either mantles or their rings

Or else their maidenhead!

Janet kilted her green mantle

(just) above her knee,

And she has gone to Carterhaugh

Just as fast as she could flee.

She had not pulled a double rose,

A rose, but three or four,

When up & spoke young TamLin

'Lady, please, pull no more!'

How dare you pull those flowers!

How dare you break those wands!

How dare you come to Carterhaugh

Withouten my command?'

(She says) 'Carterhaugh it tis my own

My Father gave it me,

And I will come and go by here

Without any leave of thee!'

(There were) 4 and 20 ladies gay

All sitting down at chess,

When in come the young Janet,

As green as any glass.

Up and spake her father dear,

He spake up meek and mild,

'My dear, Janet,' he cried,

'I fear you go with child!'

And if I do go with child,

It is myself to blame!

There's not a knight in all your hall

Shall give my child its name!'

Janet kilted her green mantle

(Just) above her knee,

And she ran off to Carterhaugh

For to pull the Scathing Tree.

How dare you pull that herb?’

said young Tam Lin,

’For to kill the bonny babe

That we got us between!'

'You must tell to me, Tam Lin,

Now you must tell to me,

Were you once a mortal knight

Or mortal hall did see?'

I was once a mortal knight

I was hunting here one day,

I did fall off from my horse,

Fairy Queen stole me away.

'Tomorrow night is Halloween,

The Fairy Folk do ride;

Those that would their true love win

At Miles Cross they must hide!

'First you let pass the black horse

Then you let pass the brown,

Run up to the milk white steed

And pull the rider down.

'First they'll turn me in your arms

Into a lion wild.

Hold me close and fear me not

As you would hold your child.

'Next they'll turn me in your arms

Into a snake or adder,

Hold me close and fear me not,

I am your child's father.

'Then they'll turn me in your arms

Into a red-hot bar of iron,

Throw me into well

And throw me in with speed.

'Last they'll turn me in your arms

Into a naked knight

Wrap me up in your mantle,

And hold me close from sight.'

So well she did what he did say

She did her true love win,

She wrapped him up in her mantle,

As blythe as any bird.

Up and spake the Fairy Queen,

An ancient Queen cried she:

'If I'd have known of this Tam Lin,

That some lady'd borrowed thee,

'If I'd have known of this Tam Lin,

Before we came from home,

I'd have plucked out thy heart

And put in one a heart of stone...

One of my very own!’

              Traditional, adapted by Beverly Frederick (based R.J. Stewart's version of 1692 c.e.)

Beverly Frederick does an amazing song version on her cd Through the Darkness which can be found here  You can find an amazing modern adaptation from Tanya Huff called "He Said, Sidhe Said " "Finding Magic"

This is one of my favorite tales from I was a child, it's a beautiful romantic tale, but it also draws on the magic Samhain, The transformation reminds me so much of Taliesin, which talks about the changes created through the magic of Cerridwen's cauldron. Every Samhain I re-read this tale, sometimes the younger children will re-enact this play it's awesome!! 

Have fun with it!!

I hope you enjoy this story like I do,

Blessed Be

Welcome Mrs B's Horde!! Part Deux

I am proud to have you here.

I love Halloween and obviously so do you (or you wouldn't be here).  There are many ways to get around the website, I have an awesome Broomstick guide at the bottom of the page with the links for each post listed there.  I also have on the side a link about me, a bucket list, a movie list as well as a book list.

So scroll on down and check out the links for my 31 days of Samhain, where I discuss how I came to the craft, share witchy craft ideas, book reviews, what Samhain means to me, who my Gods are, my trip to Salem, poetry and so much more (of course its not all 31 days yet so come on back and check it out as the month roles along). On Sunday, I will share my Samhain altar and my ritual. set-up.  

Thanks so much for stopping by

Blessed Be & Happy Samhain

There is no more room in

the broom closet

To some of my friends I'm just the weird friend who's really into nature, to some Im pagan, to others I'm a  hedge-witch.  Very few people know the last part. my family kinda knows but pretends I'm reformed (mhahaha too funny). As I have said before the women of my family have the sight, even though they have it they interpret it as a gift from God, and don't actively use it, they just let stuff happen then use the information.
One night my mom dreamt her Grandfather led her into my room (this was way back in high school). From there he showed her all the hiding spots for my wrapped books about the occult.  The next day while i was away my mom went into my room and went to all the places she dreamt about and sure enough she found them all, with this she had my sister help her dig around and seek out everything: fiction books she objected to, history books, witch guide books, tarot cards, my athame, my scrying bowl and mirror.


Everything

They stock piled all my books near the door of my room and waited for me to come home.
On the way home I kept getting this weird funny feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach and delayed going home for a couple of hours by hanging out with my friends even longer than normal.  I still don't know if that was good or bad and when I got home my sister wouldn't look at or talk to me but told me to just go upstairs, my littlest sister showed them to me, I tried to pull as many as I could, but I couldn't save them all the others???
My mom burned!!!
When I think of the money spent on those books I want to cry, my only words to her was to ask her


" How would you feel if I had done this to you? Desecrated your church and burned all your bibles?" 
she never did answer that question.  I can understand why she did it, but it still hurt to know that your family won't accept your faith.  My mom's father was a deacon in his church, her mom the first lady of the church, she grew up in the church and has never doubted or wondered about her faith. To most Jamaicans anything that's not Christianity (and their brand and flavor of it ) is devil worship.  She wouldn't listen to anything I had to say; so i made the decision never to practice as long as i was in her house. i packed away what i had saved and hid everything else at a few friends homes.
Culturally Jamaicans have internalized the slave masters mentality that the religion of the ancestors is devil worship and Obia (Voodoo) is looked down upon.
I never discussed faith with any of my family ever again and to this day, I never mention my faith or beliefs.
This is a pretty harsh story, but its mine. It took a while for me to even speak to my mom again, and even now this still colors everything, i don't share as much as i used to and i certainly never discuss my faith with her.
Its sad to note this but when you have been raised culturally to know that anything else is wrong you cant accept it from even the closest person.  Even if you see that it makes them happy. I don't really blame her, she has her faith and I have mine. Its just unfortunate that her faith teaches that mine is an abomination to hers, and must be eradicated.
My mom's reaction was the most severe my sisters didn't really care other than my next youngest who aided in the "purging" who doesn't believe I am on the right path at all.
We got into a fight over the summer and we discussed it all, she wanted to know why I didn't like her. (I thought I hid it so well) and I told her, she still thinks what she did was right but she didn't agree with the book burning (she's a teacher).  Its ok I have been learning to work through it and let go.
I'm not as hurt as I used to be and I have found I'm not really as angry as I was before, I'm just resigned to way they believe and know that their beliefs will never change,
Neither will mine!!!
How did your family react to your faith dear readers? any tales like mine? Any worse than mine? Please do share

Sometimes I just know....

I dream, sometimes scary nonsensical dreams, but dreams non the less. Sometimes I dream a song, and wake up and turn on the tv and there it is, being played. As a teen I used to wake with a word playing like a refrain in my head, and the word would pop up all the time that day, either it's definition could be applied to a situation or sometimes to the whole day, then of course would be when someone would use it in a sentence to me. Freaky!!

This is all to explain some of my ideas that I get, I will dream a situation and wake up with the words a character said stuck in my head, I will get ideas and thoughts and forget to act on them and then see someone else make a video or blog about it!! (even freakier) sometimes I know exactly what friends are going to say or know who is calling even before the phone rings (useful for those calls you can say you never got LOL).

Many times I have woken up with a poem, a scene from a book or something in my head and I would write it down. Sometimes nature inspires the "knowing". This is a poem I wrote in April of 2006 after I walked in the woods:

                      I am the daughter of the Morrigan ©

I will go above, beyond, and thru all 

obstacles because
I am the daughter of the Morrigan

I am unstoppable, unmovable, undeniable

       I am the daughter of the Morrigan

I an beautiful, & terrible

I come in many guises

I am an unchallenged child

I am a lover of all things

I am Mother to all

I am beloved among many

I am her Priestess

I am tried and true method

I am wisdom unbound

I am ALL this & more

I am wise I am Kind

You see

       I am the daughter of the Morrigan

After I wrote this poem out, that's when I knew who my Patron Goddess was, funny thing is when I went walking in those woods, this wasn't the question whose answer I sought.  But this answer made all the other questions, pale in comparison, and I knew so much because of this one answer.  This is what I meant when I said She sought me, this poem refused to be dulled by time, as I wondered thru the woods, but instead grew stronger as I headed home, and all the words flowed no hesitation, no loss of what was there, it all translated, and I thank Her everyday for it.

Why not share how the season inspires you? Do you have any poems inspired by your Patron Goddess or God?

Brightest blessings
Aisha

(this material is copyrighted, please do NOT take from this page, without explicit written permission, a curse will be the least of your problems, my lawyer will love to talk to you if you steal my intellectual property, so please respect my artists' rights)

It's Like Disney for....

or Witches!!!

Where else would I be discussing other than Witch City of the World?? Salem Massachusetts. 
The city of 1692 Fame. Now this city is a haven for Wiccans, Witches and many Pagans alike.  The city changed its nickname to Witch City and has on thier official logos, city stamp and police cars the logo of the witch,
Every October there is a big festival which hosts the most amazing rituals and parites for little witches and big witches alike. Street fairs, concerts, public rituals and re-enactment of the Witch Trials are just a few of the many things going on the amazing city. 

Salem City Center

The first time I ever went to Salem was on a school trip through my catholic college (yes I said Catholic).  I have gone back several times since and the Magic of Salem has never dimmed for me. there are always more new and fun things to do and see. As a history lover this is a city to see. 

From the Witch Museum, to the harbor where you can be transported back trhough time on one of the many boats. I can just imagine myself back there (Oh wait nope wouldn't want to go there slaverly is just not my thing).  You can get a taste of what it was like to live in Salem and the Witch Village in Essex just a few minutes outside of Salem, here people  are dressed in period pieces and "live" in the village. 

The first thing I went to see when we got to the Salem green was the huge statue sitting in the center of the town, of Roger Conant, founder of Salem. Right behind him is the Salem Witch Museum.

Next I head over to the Burial Point, where most of the women killed during the trials are buried.  

Here several stones have been set to commemorate the men and women who suffered during the Salem Trials.

This is all that's left of the original courthouse, this beam:sits in the museuem over the door as you go down into the prison cells. Be careful not all the exhibits are wax!!

Downstairs in the "prison"s different scenes from the trials are re-created by the wax figures. Each showing a different scenario including the one instance of crushing, that occurred.

Here are the other pictures from the wax museum:  Here the trial is starting, 

.Being sent to the jail:

Tituba and the girls:

Here are the other pictures of the end of the display:

There are many more pictures from my trip and I will share those another time this week
Laters my loves

Have a Seat.....

 Grab a cup, it's time for tea.

Welcome My loves,

getting ready for our lovely tea party? lets take a refreshing bath shall we?

Calming Juniper, & Geranium Rose Bath:

This blend is soothing, sedative, and spiritually uplifting. Keep the temp of the bath between 98.6 to 110 otherwise your body won't absorb the healing properties of herbs and oils. 

The juniper oil will help combat mental fatigue (it's been a long day) and restore calm (necessary for a party with a bunch of witches) and the geranium helps to balance hormones ( so there will be NO flying off the handles ....yes its a joke I'll stop now)

6 drop each of Juniper, and Geranium Rose Oil  (you can simply add these to the bath water or you can make the body scrub and gel I'll share with you)

Body Scrub:

1 cup fine sea salt

1/2 cup grape-seed, hazelnut, or soybean oil

6-10 drops essential oils

apply to damp skin, and relax for a few let the oils do their job.

Shower Gel

2 cups liquid castile (or in a pinch Natural baby shampoo)

For sensitive  & dry skin: 1 cup rose water; for oily blemished skin: 1 cup orange blossom water

30 drops of essential oils

For sensitive : lavender and chamomile; for Dry: lavender and geranium; for oily: peppermint & lemon.

Shower well.!!

Apply a lotion to keep skin soft and dress in a lovely outfit and float on out to the party..

Welcome to theParty, allow one of our woodland spirits to show you to your table. 

It's a Tea Party , let's get down with our delicious teas:

Witchy Tea 1: Vervain Tea

Vervain was regarded as a sacred, ceremonial plant, in several ancient cultures. It became a charm to rekindle lost love..  You can wear a crown of vervain.on this party night ( it might help keep the headaches away, although drinking it will be better)

Lady's Mantle Tea:

This tea is especially effective for women. It's name "Alchemilla" means "magic herb". So its a great tea to serve at a magickal party!!

1 cup of boiling water, 

1 heaping scope of tea herb allow to steep for ten minutes,

Strain

then serve with honey if you want. 

Of Course some midnight revelers loves to let loose, and may not want to have some tea, but not want the side-effects of alcohol. Here are some great recipes to try:

Citrus-Cranberry Sparkler

1 32 oz bottle sparkling mineral water

1 cup cranberry juice

1 orange sliced

1 lemon sliced

1 lime sliced

1 cup ice cubes

In a large jar with ice, add cranberry juice, and fruit slices, pour in sparkling water as you serve over ice in chilled glasses.

Blueberry Shiver

1/2 cup blueberries, frozen

1 banana peeled and sliced

1/2 cup white grape juice

1/2 cup chopped ice

slice of banana for garnish

Place blueberries, banana, grape juice and ice in a blender and blend until smooth. Put into chilled glass and garnish with a slice of banana. 

Ahhh since we have partied into the night tomorrow (l;ater) maybe a day you need to get up and do things, and we don't want to look as if we are dressed up as raccoons.  Here's a little recipe to aide in hiding or keeping away those dark circles:

Eyebright Tea:

use 1 tsp of herb to 1 cup of water, bring to a boil for five (5) mins. Then allow to steep for 5 more mins. Strain into a disinfected glass container Let cool completely, then use it as a compress to help reduce inflammation and soothe the eyes.  Always use a new batch of tea each time you ise it for a medicinal application. 

Enjoy Party beneath the moon witches!!!

Prize Drawings!!!

Hey there Readers,
I am so sorry for posting late, but today was errand day and I thought i would have finished a long time ago, but such is the case, make plans Gods laugh..  Anyhoo, Today was the drawing for the prizes offered, and I have three lucky and awesome winners. I will post your name here as well as send a message to the email or blog of the winner, you have three days to claim your prize after that i will hold another drawing for your prize.

For Mrs. B's Gift Card the winner is : Tracey Deluca

For the Rune Sets with Crocheted bags the winners are: Faerie Sage & Aine O'Brien 


Congrats everyone!!!
Thank you for entering, check back over the next week there will be another give away and another chance to win!!
Blessed Be
Aisha