The Charge of the God

 Like the Charge of the Goddess, this beautiful poem reveals to us the nature of the Horned Lord.

He is the Sun, the Stag and the Harvest.

Listen to his words and grow in his mysteries.

The Charge of the God
Author Unknown

I am the radiant King of the Heavens,
flooding the Earth with warmth and encouraging the hidden
seed of creation to burst forth into manifestation.

I lift my shining spear to light the lives of all beings
and daily pour forth my golden rays upon the Earth,
putting to flight the powers of darkness.

I am the spirit of all beasts wild and free.
I run with the stag and soar as a sacred falcon against
the shimmering sky.

The ancient woods and wild places emanate my powers,
the birds of the air sing of my sanctity.

I am the harvest, offering up grain and fruits beneath
the sickle of time so that all may be nourished.
For without planting there can be no harvest;
without winter there can be no spring.

I am the thousand named Son of creation.
Know that by all names I am the same.

The spirit of the horned stag in the wild, the endless harvest.
See in the yearly cycle of festivals my birth, death and
rebirth and know that such is the destiny of all creation..

I am the spark of life, the radiant Sun, the giver of peace and rest.

I send my rays of blessings to warm the hearts and strengthen the minds of all.

Images from Google.com

A Winter Solstice Blessing

Lord, the Dark Night gives way. The God is born this day.

The sacred silence of Winter slides into the light, no longer shall we be ruled by the night.

The Dark Night gives way. The God is born this day.

The day dawns with bright promise, shadows are undone. Chains of darkness are shattered by the Sun.

The Dark Night gives way. The God is born this day.

Rejoice in the coming of the Light!

–Book of Hours: Prayers to the God by Galen Gillotte

Solstice Blessings to all!

A Morning Prayer to the Goddess

Lady, Upon the ferment of the restless seas You were born; motherless, fatherless, primordial of the sea.
Your realm is of pleasure and the moment-ephemeral; Your anger quick as a summer storm and as quickly spent.
In loveliness of spirit all may share in Your delight -the mystery is the evolving self- fathomless, transient.
Your flame burns bright in those who love You, Your rituals endure.
Thanks to Thee Bright Maiden for Thy care, for green laughter and fire0edged dew, and for Thy blessing, a most precious jewel.
Blessed be.

-The Book of Hours by Galen Gillotte

Attuning with the Divine

No matter which religion you observe or practice, the main goal is to attune yourself with the divine and see them in all of creation. This can be done many ways, but one of the most effective ways is to incorporate a daily practice of honoring and feeling divinity around you. This can be accomplished by sitting in meditation, being in nature, sitting quietly in prayer, or even participating in song and dance.

The ways to attune yourself are endless and choosing one that works depends on you, the divinity, and your relationship together. One ritual I have found very effective when working with a new deity, or even getting to know an old one better is very simple, but very effective.

Begin by arranging your altar. An altar can be anything from a log or stone in the forest to a kitchen counter in your home. It needn’t be fancy, but it must be decorated in such a way that a bond is formed between you and the divine. Personal touches, and design are an important part of your altar, and lets the divinity know that you wish to welcome them into your life.

When symbols of the divine are placed upon the altar this allows them to be at home when they are working with you. These vary from deity to deity and research should be used to determine what is appropriate. Some examples are a cross and doves for Jesus, pieces of horns and oak branches for Cernunnos, moonstones and white flowers for Diana, and stones and herbs for Gaia. The possibilities are endless.

Another good idea to help the divine feel at home is through the use of statues. There are many, many statues out there which depict hundreds of Gods and Goddesses; and most are very reasonably priced.

When the altar is to your liking, and contains symbols of the divinity or divinities in question, light some incense which is pleasing to you or has a connection with the divine. Allow the incense to burn for a short time then light a candle for each divinity you wish to welcome. These can be tapers, jar candles, even tea lights; and even better if they are colored in a hue associated with the divine in question.

Sit before your altar, breathe deeply, and clear your mind. Allow yourself to relax into a state of calmness and serenity. When you are thoroughly relaxed begin to focus on the deity or deities you wish to contact. See them inside your mind and contemplate their many aspects. Once you have a clear image speak a simple invocation of your own design to welcome them to you.

At this time ask for them to form a connection with you, and to let you see them in your daily life. Meditate for some time on this and be open to divine contact. When you feel compelled to end the ritual thank the deity or deities and know that they are with you. Open your eyes, snuff out the candle and let the incense burn out. You may leave and offering if you so wish, and once again do some research to see what was traditionally offered to your deity.

You are then free to go on about your daily life, but be aware of signs from the divine, and welcome them to you.

All images found on Google.com

The Charge of the Goddess

This is one of the most beautiful pieces of prose ever written, and it is surely a result of divine intervention.

It was penned by the wonderful Doreen Valiente from an earlier version by Gerald Gardener. Many others have written different versions of the Charge, but I feel this is the most beautiful.

It is based on a passage from the wonderful book Aradia: Gospel of the Witches by Charles Leland in which the mighty goddess Aradia tells her followers how to honor her mother Diana, gain power, and learn of witchcraft. Small passages from works by Aleister Crowley were also used.

Listen to the words of the Goddess, and learn in love.

The Common Prose Charge
by Doreen Valiente

Listen to the words of the Great Mother, who was of old also called amongst men Artemis, Astarte, Diana, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Dana, Arianrhod, Isis, Bride and by many other names.

At my altars, the youth of most distant ages gave love, and made due sacrifice. Whenever you have need of anything, once in a month, and better it be when the Moon is full, then shall you gather in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me, who am Queen of all Witcheries.

There shall you assemble ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deepest secrets; to these will I teach things that are yet unknown. And you shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that you be really free you shall be naked in your rites. And you shall dance, sing, feast, make music and love all in my praise; for mine is the ecstasy of the spirit, and mine also is joy on Earth, for my law is love unto all beings.

Keep pure your highest ideal, strive ever towards it; let naught stop you or turn you aside, for mine is the secret door which opens upon the door of youth. And mine is the cup of the wine of life and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of Immortality.

I am the gracious Goddess who gives the gift of joy unto the heart of man, upon Earth I give knowledge of the Spirit eternal, and beyond death I give peace and freedom and reunion with those who have gone before; nor do I demand sacrifice, for behold I am the Mother of all living, and my love is poured out upon the Earth.

Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess. She in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of Heaven, whose body encircles the universe.

I who am beauty of the green Earth and the white Moon amongst the stars. And the mystery of the waters, and the desire of the heart of man, call unto thy soul. Arise and come unto me, for I am the souls of Nature who gives life to the universe.

From me all things proceed, and unto me all things must return. And before my face, beloved of Gods and men, thine inmost divine self shall be enfolded in the rapture of the infinite.

Let my worship be with the heart that rejoices, for behold, all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. And therefore let there be beauty and strength, power and compassion, honor and humility, mirth and reverence within you.

And you who thinks to seek for me, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail you not, unless you know the mystery, that if that which you seek you find not within thee, you will never find it without thee. Behold I have been with you from the beginning and I am that which is attained at the end of desire.

All Images were found on Google.com

Witches’ Love Honey

Blessings Everyone! Today I want to share with you a special recipe from one of my favorite authors.

This little gem was designed to be used by those of a mystical persuasion as a way of instilling food and drinks with feelings of love and caring; but I recommend it for everyone as it is also completely delicious.

Some of the magical benefits are inherent of course due to the natural properties of the spices, but to really get the most out of your honey you must empower your herbs as well as the luscious liquid itself. It is very simple, and even a beginner can do it with ease.

If you want to use this recipe strictly for flavor, simply omit the ritual parts of the recipe, and enjoy the warm spiced honey you have created. I would still recommend letting it sit for a few weeks before using to ensure the honey has absorbed as much flavor as possible.

Witches’ Love Honey

Ingredients and Supplies

• 1 cup pure Honey
• 2 broken Cinnamon Sticks
• 1 teaspoon Whole Cloves
• 1 dime-sized piece of Candied Ginger
• 1 inch-long piece of Dried Lemon Peel
• 1 inch-long piece Vanilla Bean
• 1 pinch Ground Cardamom

Preparation

1. To charge your herbs and honey before you begin working, simply hold them in your hands -or outstretch your palms over your ingredients- as you visualize your personal power awakening and enlivening their properties. See them becoming full of power, and accomplishing the tasks you have planned for them.
2. Then in a jar with a tight sealing lid combine the herbs with the honey and mix until everything is moistened thoroughly.
3. Seal the jar and place it upon your altar between two pink candles.
4. Light the candles as you visualize the honey glowing with pink light and pulsing with good feelings of love.
5. Allow the candles to burn out, and store the honey away from light for one lunar cycle before using.
6. Add small portions to food or beverages to promote good feelings of love

To further enhance the power of your love honey, create it on a Friday on or after the New Moon, but before or on the Full Moon.

Fridays are sacred to Venus Goddess of Love; the New Moon is a time of renewal and beginnings which is perfect for creating magic; and the Full Moon is a time of fulfillment and high energy which can be used to add immense power to your work.

It is wise to be in tune with the heavens when working magic, as the energy patterns they create can help or hinder your work greatly. This is also a wonderful recipe to create in circle, and can easily be adapted into your seasonal or lunar celebrations.

This recipe was adapted from The Complete Book of Incense, Oils & Brews by Scott Cunningham

All images in this post were taken from Google.com