Aphrodite's Grotto

Ode to Aphrodite I

Sappho

translated by John Luo

Leave ancient Crete and come to our temple,

To our grove of fragrant trees,

Where the swirling mist of frankincense

Intoxicates the senses,

And shadows dapple the fruitful earth;

Where the cooling waters bubble

And dance on down through the sylvan meadows,

To where the horses graze.

See, in the meadows our horses graze

Among the distant trees,

Where blossom hangs on all the branches,

The ornament of Spring.

The scent of dill is in the air,

And roses shade the bower,

The cool and fragrant resting place,

Where we lie half asleep.

Queen! Cyprian! Aphrodite!

Bring nectar in golden goblets,

And stir into the heady draught

Your powerful magic potion

So we may drink and taste and prove

The sweet Delights of Love.

Blessed Be from the Tree,
Willow
willowharvestmoon@gmail.com

Saturday Magick-Saturn

Happy Saturn Day,
Been a while since an update to the ol' blog. I felt inspired this morning to get to some writing. Saturdays are a tricky day magickally. Saturn energy is all about constriction and restriction and it's the day we usually hold our rituals due to accommodating everyone's schedules. Kind of a contradiction, we are celebrating on a day that is restrictive to energy flowing they way we want it to flow. But I like to flip it and make it a day where we bring in the positive energies to make the magick flow.
Before your rites or spellwork, focus on restricting the negatives. Put all your doubts and fears at bay, literally with magickal breathe and with your own body, move your arms and blow the obstacles away like you are swimming a breaststroke. Visualize the curtain of constrictive Saturn energy being opened and let the Sun shine in.
We are not negating Saturn's energy, but utilizing it to clear our path so Saturn's essence of responsibility can be present in our minds and magickal workings.
You can also benefit from Saturn's energy for Uncrossing rituals and spellwork. So let's talk about the basics. So you've got your jinxes and hexes and your thinking, what's the difference? A jinx is something you do to yourself-negative thoughts, destructive behavior, repeating the same mistakes over and over and never learning from them. A hex is something generated by someone else towards you, and in my opinion, intentionally or sometimes unintentionally.
So having said that, most of the time, the negative energy your feel reeking havoc on your life is your own energy. But what do most people reach for when they feel that energy? If you said a reversing spell, you guess right and what does that do? The reversing spell sends the energy back to its source, well, if you are the source, you've just sent yourself one heck of boomerang of vengeful energy.
Whether you are dealing with a Jinx or a Hex, it is always best to uncross the energy first. That way you do your best to eliminate you as your own suspect. If the bad juju persists even after an uncrossing spell, take a good look thru some divination or with a reading from a seasoned psychic reader and someone you trust to determine the source.

To Uncross-
Prepare a white candle with uncrossing oil and with a toothpick or pin, draw Xs in the candle. While preparing the candle, focus on removing the negative forces surrounding you. Visualize them being crossed out of your existence and realize that they no longer affect you. Light your dressed candle and sit with the energy awhile. Draw the energy from the flame around you and with the white color of the candle, blast the energy away from you, make it with an X and shield yourself. Meditation on the release of the chains that were binding you and feel yourself free of the obstacles and completely uncrossed.


Blessed Be from the Tree,
Willow
willowharvestmoon@gmail.com

Update on everything that's Brewing...again

Merry Meet all,
Well, the California winter season is in fill swing with all the rain we've had this past week and the cold temperatures for our area. And I've caught the fever, no...I'm not sick or anything, I've caught the fever to restart the Cauldron again. But this time it's just going to be on the web, with a great full time job with benefits, it's really hard to leave that right now with a wonderful new home. Plus with the economy, I don't really have the funds to do a full brick and mortar store at this time. But I've been working on new formulary in my downtime as well as still receiving requests and inquiries about the shop. So I figured, what the hell....I can do the webstore out of the house with a few local events as time permits. So Willow's Crystal Cauldron will live again...at least in cyberspace.

Today is our Annual meeting for Coven of the HarvestMoon, and I'm going to talk to the gang about their thoughts to holding a few public rituals in 2010. So keep tuned to my blog, facebook and my space pages as well as the The Crystal Cauldron yahoogroup e-mail list. More exciting news for 2010 is coming. To everyone, have a Blessed Yule and a Wonderful New Year.

Blessed Be from the Tree,
Willow
willowharvestmoon@gmail.com

Pennyroyal

I have a lovely plant of Pennyroyal growing in my herb garden, but what I do with it? What are the magickal properties of pennyroyal?~Chelsea

Pennyroyal, another staple for your magickal cabinet. Sacred to Demeter, it was used as an initiatory herb for new devotees during the Elusian Mysteries in Ancient Greece. It aids in understanding reincarnation and rebirth. It's energy helps to direct a positive path towards the rebirth cycle of life. Worn in the shoe, Pennyroyal aids in preventing weariness during travel and helps ease seasickness. Utilize in incenses and sachets for business dealings. Pennyroyal is a peaceful herb. Keep around to quell arguments between couples and friends.

Blessed Be from the Tree,
Willow
willowharvestmoon@gmail.com

Basil-not just for caprese salad

Hey Willow,

My herb garden is loving the summer heat, and my Basil is out of control! I'm familiar with it's culinary uses, and I know it's a "money" herb, but that's about it....what can I do with it magically?
-A.S.

First off, bring me some so I can make pesto. Basil is a great herb and should be a staple in any Witch's magickal cabinet. Basil's magickal properties include fertility, consecration, purification, love and protection as well as prosperity. The scent of basil will bring harmony to a relationship. I've also recommended to couples to keep the love in your life, sprinkle some basil under your bed or mattress. Basil can be added to water used for purifying your home before unpacking and moving in. It's a wonderful house-warming gift for home blessing and protection. Basil brings courage and strength to a person and keeps their outlook positive even when facing adversity. Basil steeped in a tea aids in astral travel. It's also great for use before ritual in your magickal bath, especially before an initiation ceremony. I always include basil in my prosperity bags.

Remember when working with any herb, energize it and ask for that particular energy you would like to draw from it before using it magickally.

Blessed Be from the Tree,
Willow
willowharvestmoon@gmail.com

Handfastings

What are the traditions of a handfasting? Faerylight

Handfastings are traditionally a year and day marriage or a trial marriage. Some people come together for just that year and a day, for a lifetime, for eternity or as long as love shall last. Timing is really up to your schedule and personal choice but I always like a handfasting in June, the HoneyMoon month. It's traditional, as a MayDay or around the Beltane Sabbat, many feel it is exclusively reserved for the Lord and Lady's Divine Union alone but as I said, it is your choice. I feel a full or waxing moon is the best energies to work with for a ceremony.
The traditions within a handfasting ceremony can include the blessings of rings. I do this by anointing the rings with orange blossom oil (very traditional scent), charging them with energy and placing them on my wand within my wand box until it's time to give them back to the couple. The lighting of a unity candle or creation of a sand jar are symbolic of the joining of the couple or a family. The very common aspects of the tying of the cords and the jumping of the broom and the sword are staples in any handfasting ritual I perform. The cords, sometimes made by the couples' own hand or supplied by me, is weaved during the new moon before the handfasting date. I choose the new moon energies to insure a fresh start to the couples' new and happy life together. The jumping of the broom and sword represent the home and hearth as well as protecting the spirit of the union.
I love, love, love performing handfastings. It is wonderful to have a front row and center part in the union and joining of two people who are full of love and joy for one another. I have been honored and blessed to have performed 3 handfastings already this year and it seems a few more a croping up on my calendar as well. Always a Priestess, never a Bridesmaid. LOL

Blessed Be from the Tree,
Willow
willowharvestmoon@gmail.com

Fix on the commenting

Just a quick post..I seem to have had the wrong setting regarding comments on the blog, I fixed that. So comment away, but if you have a question you would like posted to the blog and answered, please e-mail it to me at willowharvestmoon@gmail.com or you can use willow972@yahoo.com as well. I want to give the questions their own attention as a blog entry.
Blessed Be from the Tree,
Willow
willowharvestmoon@gmail.com