A Book List to Help you along your Magical Path

On one of the Facebook groups I joined a request for books that inspired out magical path, I have been adding to my bookshelves over the decades and I keep a list of books I suggest to seasoned witches, beginners, most of the books are pagan centered, there are a few Goddess related books also a few that are nature based.  I cover magical practice, herbs, witch’s gardening, celebrating the wheel of the year etc.  Here is the list of the books I posted today:

The Crone: Woman of Age, Wisdom, and Power by Barbara G. Walker

Crones Don’t Whine by Jean Shinoda Bolen

Goddesses in Older Women by Jean Shinoda Bolen

The Great Cosmic Mother by Monica Sjoo

Journey to the Dark Goddess by Jane Meredith

Wild & Wise: Sacred Feminine Meditations for Women’s Circles & Personal Awakening by Amy Bammel Wilding

The Heart of Wicca: Wise Words from a Crone on the Path by Ellen Cannon Reed

The Green Witch: Your Complete Guide to the Natural Magic of Herbs, Flowers, Essential Oils, and More byArin Murphy-Hiscock also The Way of the Green Witch, The Green Witch, The Way of the Hedge Witch  Power Spellcraft for Life, Solitary Wicca for Life

The Hearth Witch’s Compendium: Magical and Natural Living for Every Day by Anna Franklin

Natural Witchery: Intuitive, Personal & Practical Magick by Ellen Dugan also Garden Witchery, Cottage Witchery: Natural Magick for Hearth and Home, Seasons of Witchery.

Encyclopedia of Witchcraft by Judika Illes also Pure Magic Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells andEncyclopedia of Mystics, Saints & Sages: A Guide to Asking for Protection, Wealth, Happiness

A Year and a Day of Everyday Witchcraft: 366 Ways to Witchify Your Life by Deborah Blake also The Goddess is in the Details, Everyday Witchcraft

The Goddess Path by Patricia Monaghan also Magical Gardens

Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kynes

To Walk a Pagan Path by Alaric Albertsson

Celebrate the Earth: A Year of Holidays in the Pagan Tradition by Laurie Cabot

Wicca: A Year and a Day is a one-of-a-kind daily guide that introduces Witchcraft over a 366-day cycle. By Timothy Roderick

Wicca: Another Year and a Day by Timothy Roderick

Wicca Wheel of the Year Magic: A Beginner’s Guide to the Sabbats

The Witching Herbs by Harold Roth

By Wolfsbane & Mandrake Root: The Shadow World Of Plants And Their Poisons by Melusine Draco and other books in the Pagan Portal Series

For a deeper understanding of the 8 Sabbats I recommend the Llewellyn’s Sabbat Essentials series I started with Samhain, then Yule…

A Magical Almanac I use the Witches Almanac

Veneficium: Magic, Witchcraft and the Poison Path by Daniel A. Schulke

Sticks, Stones, Roots & Bones: Hoodoo, Mojo & Conjuring with Herbs by Stephanie Rose Bird

Bones, Shells, and Curios: A Contemporary Method of Casting the Bones by Michele Jackson

The Grandmother of Time, by Zsuzsanna Budapest

Seasons of the Sacred Earth by Cliff Seruntine (not pagan but a good read if you want to get closer to nature)

Living Earth Devotional by Clea Danaan

Rituals of Celebration: Honoring the Seasons of Life through the Wheel of the Year by Jane Meredith

Clarissa Pinkola Estes Ph.D. Audio books: The Power of the Crone, The Late Bloomer, The Dangerous Old Women, How to be an Elder, The Joyous Body

 

 

 

 

January Embroidery, Gardens, Books and New Moon Rituals Ideas

January has been a busy month and has flown by in a flash, do you ever wonder how all the hours one day seem to fly and some days they go on forever.  When I was a young woman it always seemed the rough days were endless so its nice now that I’m older to have a few good days seem to go on forever.

Last week here in Florida we experienced some strong Tornado warning with heavy winds blowing through and some rain, fortunately no damage in my neighborhood, with the exception of twigs and some trash strewn about, easy cleanup.  Earlier in the day when the winds began two small plants were knocked over I moved them to a more secure location.  I gave a look to my Rhododendron and hoped for the best, on Monday before the storm she was just showing her first flowering buds. Happily a few days after the storm all her buds were intact

some of the buds blossomed despite those strong winds.  The Lemon and Lime trees are full of buds and the fragrance of the foliage is intoxicating when walking by, a few bees have been buzzing about on warm days, and the poinsettia is still full and lush as she was during Yuletide.  Last year due to illness I wasn’t able to plant a spring garden so I did the next best things and bought a few potted plants to keep my fingers in the soil. This year I am planning to spend time in the garden in short spans of time at first so I don’t have any set back. Between my seasonal allergies worsening each year and bouts of bronchitis that seem to linger longer with each bout I  have to make ways to get in the garden without overdoing it. I don’t think I’ll spend  6 and 8 hours days in the garden any time soon, but I hold hope deep in my heart that I will someday once again, until then a new addition to my gardening books will hopefully have a few tips I can use.

I came across Late Bloomer on one of the garden sites I read on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TWOwomenANDaHOE/

Speaking of books I have finally had time to get more reading in, my friend gifted me this book so we can discuss it together, she is just coming to the Goddess path and thought discussions with me would help her, like many who come to a goddess or pagan path she has researched other religious paths.  I am also reading for leisure so a trip to the local library was in order to start off the new year.

I also joined the Goodreads 2017 reading challenge found here https://www.goodreads.com/challenges/5493-2017-reading-challenge

This month my hand embroidery has me working a few new projects now that the last block for the Hocuspocusville quilt is done, I am stitching a Brigid’s Cross for Imbolc, and a pattern from Urban Threads called Earth Mother, I have named Winter Goddess since I have her on a snowflake print fabric and plan to use blue, white and silver floss among the greenery. I have most of the Elemental Goddess piece done, I just want to add a few symbols to the piece.

The Brigid’s Cross should be finished this weekend and I should be adding the symbols to the elemental goddess today so I can finish it this week. Once those are complete I will continue with the winter goddess so she is ready for next winter’s solstice and I have a Beltane piece in a hoop waiting for me to choose the floss colors before I post any photos.

The New Moon is a time of beginnings.

It is a time of embracing new projects, ideas, plans, thoughts, relationships and the changes we wish to invite into our lives. It is a time of seeding intentions and of opening to the new possibilities that are brought by another lunar cycle.

The New Moon offers us a time of hope, a time of faith and renewal of our commitments. It brings us a fertile place to start fresh and to remind us that no matter what there is always rebirth waiting on the horizon.

It reminds us also to check in with ourselves and to let go of what is no longer in alignment with our path, our purpose and our dreams. It tells us that in order for us to bring all that we want into being, we need to clear away what is no longer serving us and make room for what is to flow into our lives.

January is a great time to put that fresh start in motion and shed those things not working for us.

Here are some practices that can be used during the New Moon:

Releasing and clearing are powerful practices to employ during the New Moon. This removes any built up negativity that has accumulated and cleanses the environment and the self for what we are going to have flowing into our lives in the next cycle.

Here is a simple clearing blessing which can be used with any type of sacred smoke or cleansing method including cedar, sweet grass, sage or herb smoke, oil sprays, or salt. You can apply this to your room, outdoors, or yourself.

Cleanse this Space, Remove all ill. Bless it Now, Let Light and Love Fill

SACRED NEW MOON BATH RITUAL

Set New Moon intentions in your New Moon Journal (optional)

* Run a sacred bath

* Add salts, essential oils, herbs or flower petals

* Create sacred altar space with candles, crystals or statues

* Enter the bath and visualize a renewal of your energy

* You can draw even more nourishing energy with an affirmation:

“I am renewed with this New Moon. I am replenished. I am open to new beginnings.”

The New Moon brings us the energy of beginnings and is a cosmic refresher. It is a time to leave the past behind and immerse yourself in the energy of rebirth. Open yourself to abundance and possibility unfolding in your life.

 

GIVE THANKS

As we open to the possibility of what is coming into our lives, this is a good time to offer thanks for all that has come in the last cycle. You can offer thanks to the Universe, to the deities or guides you work with, to your spirit animals, or anyone you want to give a special thanks to during this powerful time.

You can leave out an offering of your choosing somewhere outside like a piece of bread, some flowers, a crystal and say a few words of thanks such as:

“I give thanks with open arms

For all that there has been

I open still for all that flows

And comes from the unseen.”