Notes from Candle Power by Cassandra Eason

I recently flicked through Cassandra Eason's book Candle Power and made the following notes, which I thought I could share with you.

Candle Time
This can be used when a family discussion is needed. Take a candle and etch equal intervals down the side of the candle. When talking, each member gets the time for their section on the candle to burn down and they can talk freely and uninterrupted. It can be helpful to hold discussions in candlelight as this can help calm emotions.
I really think that this can be a useful practice I can include in my home-life.

Candle Gazing to resolve a problem
Choose a quiet place and light a white candle. Gaze into the candle, eyes half-closed, whilst chanting your question like a mantra. Focus simply on your question and the candle flame. Once the candle has burned down, take a warm bath with 10 drops of lavender / rose / geranium oil, then go to bed. Ask for the Goddess' guidance with your problem. On awaking, try to remember any symbols from your dreams and write these in your journal.

Pins in Candles
Great banish ritual - best done on a waning moon.

Endow a long pin with the feeling of whatever you wish to banish from your life by holding the pin between your hands and saying:Sharp pangs cease,
Hard times end;
Into the candle flame,
Bend pin bend. 

Light a purple candle for wisdom and spirituality and as the wax softens, pierce the wick of the candle with the pin, about 2.5cm down, whilst saying:
Burn candle burn,
Turn sorrow turn,
From pain to joy
Bad times destroy
Burn sadness burn


Leave the pin hanging loosely and keep a heat-proof tray underneath the pin so that it catches the pin when it falls.

Burn tiny pieces of wool in the candle flame. With each piece of wool name a regret, disappointment or sorrow and as each is burned say:
It is gone
It is done
No more to return
Burn candle burn

Wait until the pin falls from the candle and catch a small piece of molten wax on the tray. Say:
Pin fall
Do not recall
The pain you caused.
Pin die,
Let my
Heart be
Free
From your thrall
Burn candle all

As the molten wax cools, fashion it into a square (a square is a symbol of limitations) and mark it with a + as an extra banishing symbol.

Let the candle burn down and as it does take a sheet of white paper and write down positive steps for the future.

The following day, bury the square of wax in a pot of earth and plant fast-growing seeds so that daily you can see hope and new life growing.

Long time no post....

Well I really have been getting behind in posting in here or making any youtube videos or pretty much doing anything related to my spirituality. I really feel bereft. I haven't been practising - I've been pretty much working non-stop since March and now it's really starting to get me down.

I need a good kick up the bum, folks! This is beginning to get ridiculous. I feel that I need to develop my spirituality - as much as I love Wicca, I don't think it is right for where I am at the moment and I am feeling myself drawn more and more to Asatru and Ceremonial Magick, but even though I'm writing this now, I'm not sure because how can I be sure of anything when I've not taken the time to sit and ponder, consider and research?

We are planning to move about 50 miles away in the summer and I feel that it really is a time for new beginnings all round. So here is a heads up that brace yourselves... more changes are likely to be afoot :)
Change, I think is good for the soul and I'm looking forward to moving and making new friends, getting to know a new area, but I also am looking forward to how this will affect me on very many levels.

I have some spare time this evening - I'm waiting to be picked up by my husband before we go out for dinner. I'm going to look at some healing I can do as my grandparents are very sick at the moment and I've been staying with them. My house got burgled so I also need to do a full cleanse there as I really don't like the energy in the house anymore. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Much love to all... Here's to new beginnings, new beginnings and having a life outside of work once more!

C xx

Getting back on YouTube

It's been a very long time since I seriously posted videos on YouTube. I realised that it's been over 3 months since my last video and so I decided that since Spring has now officially sprung, I was going to make a new YouTube channel. And so I have:

Anax Imperateur's YouTube Channel

Anax Imperateur is French for Emperor Dragonfly, which I thought was quite apt. I've already uploaded a couple of new videos on there - an introduction to the channel and a couple of book review-type videos. I'd be grateful if you would pop along and check it out! Let me know if you have any requests for videos too - I'm always open to new ideas! Now that I've brushed winter aside, I'm really motivated to get back into vlogging and developing my craft. I also feel that my path has changed a lot since I first started out on my journey, so get ready for quite a few changes here and there!

So since I've gotten back onto the YouTube bandwagon, I thought I'd catch up with what's been going on whilst I've been MIA:

TipToeChick has a new video, a great introduction for those who are looking to get started with working with herbs:

I'm pleased to see Dee making new videos. She is such a wonderful source of information and such a pleasure to watch too. Make sure you check our her videos!

Fotogrl1  has also been busy recently and made a bunch of new videos - talking about how her path has been changing, suicide and morality and some general chit chat videos. It's all good catching up with the YouTube clan as I've missed you all tonnes!

OK well, I best get off and get cracking as have lots of plans which need to be put into action. Check out the new channel, let me know what you think, let me know if you have any video requests and I'll catch up with you all again soon!

Bright blessings! xx

Mother's Love Spell

This spell is taken from Marie Bruce's Witch's Almanac. A great spell in preparation for Mothering Sunday.

Purpose of ritual:
to give thanks for your mother's love

You will need:
a photo of your mother, one red rose, one pink rose, two pink candles and holders, rosewood oil, a gift or flowers for your mother, a pink balloon, a pink ribbon, a small slip of paper

-- Set up an altar dedicated to your mother and your love for one another. Place her photograph in the middle and surround it with a circle of red and pink rose petals. Place the gift or flowers nearby.

-- Anoint the pink candles by rubbing the rosewood oil into the wax. Set them in holders on each side of the photo and light them.

-- Sit for a while, thinking of your mother, of all that she's done for you and all that she means to you. Give thanks to the Goddess or your chosen divinity for the gift of your mother's love.

-- Now think of a wish for your mum, a gift she'd like or something like improved health.

-- Write the wish on a slip of paper, roll the paper into a scroll and pass it through the neck of the balloon. Add a couple of rose petals, blow up the balloon, tie a knot in the neck and attach the ribbon.

-- Allow the candles to burn down, and complete the ritual by releasing the wish balloon into the air on the next windy day and presenting the gift to your mother.

Still Alive... Updates to come soon!

Hello my dear followers,

Firstly, I must apologise for my prolonged absence from most of my usual online haunts. Since starting a new job in November last, I seem to have been expressly busy and have not had much time to partake in my usual pasttimes. For this, I apologise.

I haven't been practising, so haven't really had anything to update at all. I plan, however, from the Spring Equinox to update more frequently and practise again with more frequency.

Let me know how you're all doing - I'm missing you! I need updates :)

Take care and many blessings, xxx

Night time rambling... need to connect

I have one tarot deck, that is the Gilded Tarot deck drawn by Ciro Marchetti. I keep whining that I haven't 'connected' with the deck. Then it occurred to me... when was the last time I actually sat down with the deck and *tried* to get to know it? I think I can count on one hand the number of times I've even picked up the deck. So, since I'm feeling all insomniacal again, I think tonight might be a good time to get to know some of the cards in my deck better. I'm going to have a shower, ritually cleanse, light my incense and candles and then set to getting to know my cards a little better. Fellow vlogger and blogger Sami, refers to herself as a nocturnal witch. I think I know exactly what she means - when it's all still in the quiet of the night is when I feel my inner magick... 

Let's see where it takes me.

Tarot Reading - The Planetary Spread

Tonight, I was looking through my tarot cards, just reminding myself of how they felt and Philip approached me and asked me to do a reading for him. He looked through Solitary Witch by Silver Ravenwolf and requested I do the planetary spread. I was touched that he was interested, as he usually scoffs at this sort of thing, so after confessing I'd never done that spread before, we set to work.

After shuffling the cards, you deal out 7 cards in a fan shape, then one below the fan (card 8) and one above the fan (card 9). These first cards represent your past/present and the different positions represent the different planets: sun, moon, mercury, venus, mars, jupiter, saturn, card 8 reflects what you want to be doing next in relation to all the other cards and card 9 gives a prediction for your future spiritual life over the next six months.

Philip's reading was interesting as it was all about his relationships. His cards were predominantly either relationsnip / emotion-related, or associated with education. As most of you know, he and I are going through a difficult time right now and he's just submitted his PhD thesis... so this was rather telling. I think he's now interested in doing readings more often, which will, of course, help me to learn!

Inspired by Philip's reading, I decided to try one for myself. Again, I was surprised and pleased with the results. My cards seemed to be indicating a new business venture, healing from a long period of illness and sadness and future prosperity, stability, abundance and celebration :D. So this has put me in a great frame of mind before bed this evening. I'm full of ambition and hope for the future, for both of us.