13 Goals of A Witch

13 Goals of a Witch



Today I wanted to go over something I feel is very important and should be included in every Book of Shadows; the 13 Goals of a Witch. These are goals that we should try to incorporate into every day life as we walk our path. When you begin working with these, you may want to start out working with one for a week or two so that you may focus on it properly. When you feel you are incorporating it into your life consistently, add the next one. If you follow all of them, you will see a difference in your path. So let's take a look at them.

1. Know Yourself:

One of the most important things I've learned on my path is the journey of finding your true self. So many of us run through life and we really don't have a solid foundation on who we truly are. Every one of us is different and that's part of the beauty of mankind. So what makes you you? Take time to learn about yourself. Start keeping a journal to record your thoughts. Start a board on Pinterest and start pinning things that you love, you'd be amazed at the insight you can gain from this. Try to take a good look at yourself. If you have negative habits, all of us do, don't hold them against you. Acknowledge them and either choose to embrace them or change them. This is a personal spiritual journey that you are on, and the base of it needs to be getting to know you, for that will help you determine how to move forward

2. Know Your Craft: In the next goal, we will cover learning. You must get to know your craft. It's not enough just to read about it, make sure you are putting it into practice as often as possible. When you work with something you will get to know it. Sure we can read books upon books about how to work with stones, for example, however when you hold that stone in your hand and feel it's energy, that contributes to your working knowledge of the craft for now you are forming your own interpretation. Take in as much information as you can, adopt what you like, leave what you don't, but interpret it and learn to work with it.

3. Learn:

There are so many different areas that you can study in the craft. It's part of why I absolutely adore being Wiccan. There are just so many things I want to learn and see and do. We are fortunate enough to live in a time where the knowledge base accessible to us is absolutely profound. So try to learn one new thing each day to do with your craft. You've already made the first step by joining me here on Daily Magick! :)))) You can read an article, read a book on a topic related to the craft, ask a question, take a class, try something new, you get the idea :))))) Look for things that interest you within the class, the topics are absolutely endless. Here's a few to get you started: Rituals, Spell work, Energy Work, Healing, Chakras, Intuition, Angels, Herbs, Crystals & Gemstones, Deities, History, and the list goes on and on. You must realize that no matter how knowledgeable you are of your craft, there is always something more that you can learn.

4. Apply Knowledge With Wisdom:

The more you learn the easier it will be for you to walk your path. You will find that instead of getting frustrated in life, you will have the answers for what it is that you need to do. You need to use wisdom to make the best decision possible. If you are unsure, take a moment or the time you need to make the right choice. Realize that no matter how wise we are, there is always something more to learn and when others offer opinions, make sure you listen. You don't have to agree, but realize that they have their own perspective and path and honor that.

5. Achieve Balance:

It is important that we balance everything and I do mean everything. You need to make sure you balance everything in your personal, professional, and spiritual life. Make sure you never spend too much time in one place for all are necessary to achieve that proper balance. Look for other ways you can balance things, if you take something, can you give back something in it's place? When your life is balanced you will know it as your emotions will be balanced the majority of the time.

6. Keep Your Thoughts in Good Order:

One of the things we do is work with energy. Your thoughts are imperative to the energy you work with. You need to realize that the more experienced you get, you will start manifesting your desires just by thinking about them. The more sensitive you become and open to your gifts, the quicker this can happen. So you need to train your brain. If a negative thought creeps up work to replace it immediately with something positive. Am I saying never have a bad day? No. We are all going to go through tough times. Take the time to let the emotions out, ground, and start again with the realization that you control your life by controlling your thoughts. It's extremely important you master this skill.

7. Keep Your Words in Good Order:

Words are so powerful. You can cause changes in others lives with the words that you say. Every time you speak you need to realize this. Your words carry power, and you need to always treat them as such. Whatever you put out there will come back to you, so you need to be very mindful of what you are putting out there. Before you say something always consider the impact it will have on the other person. Now are you never gonna mess this up? Nope. When you do, realize it, and apologize then try again. The more you do this the easier it will become. For those of you who are empaths, this is likely a very big lifestyle for you as you will be aware of your impact upon others the minute you speak. For those of you who are empaths you need to realize that there is a fine line here. If someone is hurting you, you have every right to say no politely and walk away. That goes for anyone. I try to minimize arguing. If I see one coming I will ask for some time to cool down and revisit it. It's better then trying to have a discussion when emotions are high as you can cause unintended pain to someone else.

8. Celebrate Life:

Look around you! It's a beautiful world filled with amazing people, animals, trees, and life. Realize that each day you are here you have a precious gift and treat it as such. If you are not having fun in life then change your life. It will be worth it when you do. The divine want you to enjoy life and be able to appreciate the precious gifts that are all around you. Make sure you live your life

9. Attune With the Cycles of the Earth:

Most of you will find that you have a natural affinity for the cycles of the Earth. As you walk your path start learning about all the Sabbats and Esbats. Learn how each turn of the Wheel of the Year affects you and the lunar cycles. Note your experiences with them and how they affect you. Compare your results with others for you will find similarities ;)

10. Breathe and Eat Correctly:

Deep Breath. Ready? Good. I tell you it's one of the simplest things but something I find gets overlooked the most. If you are stressed come back to center and breathe. One deep breath can really make a huge difference in a situation. You need to eat correctly as well as that can have huge impacts on your personality. You may find you get easily angered if you are hungry or low on a certain vitamin. Your body is a temple for your soul in this life and you need to treat it as such. It will literally impact every area of your life

11. Exercise the Body:

This is soooo important! You can walk, run, do jumping jacks, swim, whatever you like just move. When your body is in shape things will come easier, you will have extra confidence, and you will just all around feel better. Almost any form of exercise is grounding as well. Something stressing you out? Don't sit there, go for a 20 minute walk and then come back to it. More often than not, you will have the solution when you come back and it beats sitting in one spot replaying it through your mind 60 times for that answer. In doing this you are honoring the gift of you that the divine have blessed you with.

12. Meditate:

When we mediate we quiet the mind and focus our thoughts allowing us to receive messages from our guides easier. It reduces stress in our lives and gives us the ability to think clearly. Many of you have said that you don't have the time to meditate or have problems mediating. If this is the case try going for long quiet walks or taking up something creative like painting that quiets your mind and allows you to listen to your true self and your guides.

13. Honor the Goddess and the God:

Honor the God and Goddess whenever you can. A simple idea for this is simply giving thanks each night as you fall asleep. Honor them through celebrating the Esbats and Sabbats and celebrating them in any way you can. Realize that you walk hand in hand with the divine and they are there to help you Make that connection and allow them to, and then thank them for their assistance.

Have a magickal day!

Much Love and Many Blessings,

Jasmeine Moonsong

The Flying Witch

The Flying Witch


Many of you are probably very familiar with the witch's broom. Some of you may also be aware that these brooms were used in a myriad of ways to include cleansing negative energies from the home. How about the many pictures we see of witch's flying on brooms though? Do you know where this comes from?

Dating as far back as the early 14th and 15th centuries, witches would use what were referred to as "flying ointments." One theory is that these ointments were used to assist with what we refer to today as Astral Travel. Astral travel is basically when we work to separate our astral body from our physical body and travel to the astral plane. Think of it sort of like dreaming but while awake. Today we can use herbs and crystals to assist us with this process, but do to some herbs having been proved to be dangerous, we cannot achieve this state of being through herbs alone. Today our goal with astral travel is to maintain in control of our experiences. Some may still use the stronger herbs to assist with their astral journeys today. But astral travel is for another article.

As I mentioned before some of the herbs used to produce these effects in those days were highly toxic. The witches had to take great care when making these salves, to make sure the amount used was enough to produce visions, and not enough to be lethal. These salves produced not only the visions of astral travel, but they often made them feel as if they were flying. Hence why a witch could "fly" to a ritual on a Sabbat. It is more likely they were using the ointments during the ritual by anointing their body with them. This then increased their visions on that evening, and thus could give them the sense of flying. They were not actually flying around on broomsticks. There are other theories as to their use of the salve on the broomstick, but I will leave those for you to find. 

Have a magickal day!

Much Love and Many Blessings,

Jasmeine Moonsong

The Witch's Pyramid

I learned about the Witch's pyramid while studying my first degree many years ago now. It's such an important part of who we are and how we work as witch's. They are qualities that we should all strive to work for all the time as they will help us both personally and with our magickal workings. Think of it as a promise you are making as you work with them. You may want to read through them several times for awhile until you find yourself incorporating them into your life naturally. For those of you who have been working with them for awhile already it may just be a nice reminder or revalidation for you. It it easy to visualize it as a pyramid, though I have seen it presented corresponding to the elements on the pentacle as well. There are four levels to this pyramid that when they are all being met allows that fifth layer to be added. The descriptions below are my personal interpretations. They are as follows:

To Know (nescere) The first pillar, To Know, corresponds to the element of air. As witches we commit to a life long quest of knowledge. You can gain this knowledge from books, teachers, experience, and talking with people. As we all know knowledge is power. In order to be better witches we need to constantly continue to improve ourselves so that we are better able to assist ourselves and those around us with the skills that we acquire. I promise to constantly strive to learn more about myself, the world around me and my craft. May I be guided to obtain the knowledge that will help me be a better person and more capable to help those around me.

To Will (velle) The second pillar, To Will, corresponds to the element of fire. This is our will, or discipline when working with the skills that we have acquired. This is your intent both in your mundane and magickal life. As you go through your mundane life you want to work hard to be honest and keep your promises. When you are working with magick it's seeing your rituals through to the end and keeping your intentions clear. You want to increase your skills as you work with magick. I promise to work to be clear about what I wish to achieve in life and to align my intent with that. I will try each day to work towards my goals and keep my intent pure.

To Dare (audere) The third pillar, To Dare, corresponds to the element of of water. This is our ability to face our fears. Not everything in life is easy and you will sometimes find that you need to push yourself into unfamiliar territory in order to achieve your goals and stay true to your intent. We need to dare to conquer our fears, and our fear of the unknown knowing that we are guided on our paths and we are never alone. I promise to continue to confront my fears on my path and realize that I am never alone and that by confronting my fears I will become a better person, and improve my self-confidence.

To Keep the Silence (tacere) The fourth pillar, To Keep the Silence, corresponds to the element of Earth. When working with magick and ritual we need to keep silent about our workings so as not to invite others energy to cast any doubt or negativity to interfere with the energy we have raised with our intent. It also means to give thought before we speak. This can be one of the most challenging pillars to accomplish. The spoken word can have such profound effects upon others, we need to ensure that we choose our words carefully so as not to harm others, and at times we may need to just keep silent with our opinions. I promise to keep my magickal workings to myself so as not to interfere with the energy of my intentions. I will also work very hard to make sure that I don't harm others with my words or thoughts that may not need to be spoken.

To Go (ire) The fifth and final pillar, To Go, corresponds to the element of Spirit. When you work hard to master the four pillars and use them all in a positive way and with pure intent, the fifth and final pillar will be activated. I promise to go forth on my personal path knowing that I am surrounded by the loving arms of the Goddess, my guides and my angels. I will work hard to fill my life intention as given to me by the Goddess in return for the blessings and guidance that I am given. I walk my path with pure intent, pure love, and without fear in the knowledge that I will never be alone again.

Won't you join me?

Much Love and Many Blessings,

Jasmeine Moonsong

"To be a Witch is to be a healer, a teacher, a seeker, a giver,
and a protector of all things.
If this path is yours, may you walk it with honor, light and integrity."

The Littlest Witch

Original Artwork by Melie Melusine

The Littlest Witch

Merry Meet :)))) I was born with very strong psychic gifts and from a very early age I was seeing spirits. It's not something that anyone around me believed in so I was told that what I was seeing didn't exist. Try as I might to not see what was there I still saw them. So I went looking for answers very young.

I have always been completely fascinated with the paranormal. I read pretty much anything I could get my hands on growing up. I remember being in the children's library at my school perusing the limited section that they had on paranormal in the non fiction section while the rest of my friends were looking for books like the Babysitter's Club or Sweet Valley High. Don't get me wrong, I did a ton of reading and I spent my time with those as well. :)) I was always called back to the Paranormal though.

Growing up in Massachusetts I was introduced to the stories of the Witches in Salem very early on. It's hard to explain the pull I had to that story... it called me. So I began reading everything I could on Witches. I was really young at this point, definitely no more than 10. One of the books mentioned Laurie Cabot, Salem's witch and I was beyond excited. You must understand that back then the type of information that we have now was definitely not available. :))) There are so many books out there now. Back then you really had to dig to find anything so when I stumbled across her name I couldn't get a pen and paper out fast enough to write to her. I told her who I was and explained the visions that I had and how there really wasn't anyone around me who understood what I was seeing. I was really hoping that she could shed some light on what was happening for me. For as many books I read about ghosts and the paranormal, none of them went into what was going on with me.

Weeks went by and I did whatever I did as a little girl. :)))) Then one day I got a letter in the mail. It was from Laurie Cabot! :)))) She wrote back to me :)))) She told me that what I was experiencing was normal, nothing to worry about. She said that she couldn't work with me until I was 18 though and to come back and talk to her then.

I have been to Salem and been to her shops and I've done a lot of work with the material that she puts out there and she is just amazing to me still. One day I would love to meet her in person. :)))))

I think it's funny though that 30 years ago I wrote to a woman that I still look up to today. I'm not sure how normal it is for 10 year olds to be so drawn to witches or the paranormal lol :))))

I was never afraid of it though? Regardless of what everyone around me said. It's like I had an understanding of it from early on and understood the connections to the Earth. If I knew then what I know now I would have paid a lot more attention to my thoughts growing up! lol :))))

Have a magickal day!

Much Love and Many Blessings,

Jasmeine Moonsong

Doreen Valiente - Witch

Doreen Valiente - Witch

Merry Meet :)))))) I am soooo excited. This came across my inbox this morning and I immediately hit the pre-order button and marked it on my calendar blocking off time to read it, something I don't do all that often. With books I usually wait for it to come out and then check out all the reviews first. So what has me jumping out of my chair?

Doreen Valiente is considered the Mother of Modern Witchcraft. Her contributions to society through her work are absolutely immense. Many of you have probably been exposed to her work by now, if not she is definitely someone that you want to put on your must read list. Even if you've not personally read her books, you likely recognize her work such as the knot spell that I put above for you.

So I am beyond excited that Philip Heselton decided to write a biography on her. :))) Definitely important for the history of witchcraft.

"A personal biographical account of the life of Doreen Valiente, described by Professor Ronald Hutton as "the greatest single female figure in the modern British history of witchcraft". Author Philip Heselton draws on first hand testimony and Doreen's own personal papers to reveal previously unknown details of her life with fascinating and sometimes startling insights. Adding to the still-emerging story of how an underground cult, described by some as Britain's only living indigenous religion, became a worldwide spiritual movement in the course of a few decades. While Gerald Brosseau Gardner is credited with breathing life into modern witchcraft, it was his High Priestess Doreen Valiente who made it truly accessible to the wider world." - from the back of the book

So I know a lot of you love to read and are always looking for new material to study. I would definitely put this book on your list of ones to grab. The kindle edition is only $10.00 to pre-order. You can pre-order in paperback and hardcover editions as well I believe. Here's the page to grab your copy if you are interested. http://amzn.to/1PsIKcV

Have a great day!

Much Love and Many Blessings,

Jasmeine Moonsong

Learning the Craft

Image from the Old Crone's Corner

Learning the Craft

Merry Meet :))))) I adore the quote above. It is probably one of the, if not the most important lessons I have learned on my path. It really matters not your background or how you came about to be Wiccan, what matters is what you do on your own personal path going forward.

This is the first religion that I've ever found that puts the primary focus on self and encourages you to empower yourself and honor the Divine within. It teaches you that you don't need anything fancy, item, place or person to ask for help from the Divine or show them your love. You can go out and be spiritual in the forest, at the beach, even the bathroom if you truly want to. In fact most of us are as we prepare our ritual baths. :P :))))

One of the most important things Wicca has taught me though is to honor self. Not to come from ego as that's something different, we are taught to not do that. You are encouraged to really get to know you, to get into your heart and find your true self and then walk your path according to who you really are. You are beautiful and perfect exactly as you are and you really should change for no one in life except yourself. Honor your body for it is your temple. Recharge your soul for it is what helps to guide you. Love with all you have for your life is a precious gift.

I find so many people on the path who are looking for groups and covens to work with. While it is nice to work with other like-minded people, I find that the most important aspect of the journey that you take spiritually is the one where you find you and you learn to walk beside the Divine for that is your rightful place. It is much different then is taught in other religions. There is no need to be popular or compete for anything for when you are on your path the Goddess will provide you with everything that you need. That is something I have been amazingly blessed to learn.

When you find yourself, and learn to trust, the unveiling of your precious gifts will be revealed. The more you work with them, the more they will develop. Use those precious gifts to help others on their paths, for the more of us that find our way, the more people we can help, and the more we can give back to Mother Earth and make the world a better place in the future.

Much Love and Many Blessings,

Jasmeine Moonsong

Put A Little Magick in Your Day!

Premium edition includes daily magickal correspondences, quotes, affirmations, tarot card, spell , and an article teaching you more about your path. :))) 

http://www.wiccanmoonsong.com/Moonsong-Daily-Magick.html

13 Goals Of A Witch

13 Goals of a Witch

Merry Meet :))) Today I wanted to go over something I feel is very important and should be included in every Book of Shadows; the 13 Goals of a Witch. These are goals that we should try to incorporate into every day life as we walk our path. When you begin working with these, you may want to start out working with one for a week or two so that you may focus on it properly. When you feel you are incorporating it into your life consistently, add the next one. If you follow all of them, you will see a difference in your path. So let's take a look at them.

1. Know Yourself:

One of the most important things I've learned on my path is the journey of finding your true self. So many of us run through life and we really don't have a solid foundation on who we truly are. Every one of us is different and that's part of the beauty of mankind. So what makes you you? Take time to learn about yourself. Start keeping a journal to record your thoughts. Start a board on pinterest and start pinning things that you love, you'd be amazed at the insight you can gain from this. Try to take a good look at yourself. If you have negative habits, all of us do :P :))) Don't hold them against you. Acknowledge them and either choose to embrace them or change them. This is a personal spiritual journey that you are on, and the base of it needs to be getting to know you, for that will help you determine how to move forward


2. Know Your Craft: 

 In the next goal, we will cover learning. You must get to know your craft. It's not enough just to read about it, make sure you are putting it into practice as often as possible. When you work with something you will get to know it. Sure we can read books upon books about how to work with stones, for example, however when you hold that stone in your hand and feel it's energy, that contributes to your working knowledge of the craft for now you are forming your own interpretation. Take in as much information as you can, adopt what you like, leave what you don't, but interpret it and learn to work with it.

3. Learn:

There are so many different areas that you can study in the craft. It's part of why I absolutely adore being Wiccan. There are just so many things I want to learn and see and do. We are fortunate enough to live in a time where the knowledge base accessible to us is absolutely profound. So try to learn one new thing each day to do with your craft. You've already made the first step by joining me here on Daily Magick! :)))) You can read an article, read a book on a topic related to the craft, ask a question, take a class, try something new, you get the idea :))))) Look for things that interest you within the class, the topics are absolutely endless. Here's a few to get you started: Rituals, Spellwork, Energy Work, Healing, Chakras, Intuition, Angels, Herbs, Crystals & Gemstones, Deities, History, and the list goes on and on. You must realize that no matter how knowledgeable you are of your craft, there is always something more that you can learn.


4. Apply Knowledge With Wisdom:

The more you learn the easier it will be for you to walk your path. You will find that instead of getting frustrated in life, you will have the answers for what it is that you need to do. You need to use wisdom to make the best decision possible. If you are unsure, take a moment or the time you need to make the right choice. Realize that no matter how wise we are, there is always something more to learn and when others offer opinions, make sure you listen. You don't have to agree, but realize that they have their own perspective and path and honor that.


5. Achieve Balance:

It is important that we balance everything and I do mean everything. You need to make sure you balance everything in your personal, professional, and spiritual life. Make sure you never spend too much time in one place for all are necessary to achieve that proper balance. Look for other ways you can balance things, if you take something, can you give back something in it's place? When your life is balanced you will know it as your emotions will be balanced the majority of the time.


6. Keep Your Thoughts in Good Order:

One of the things we do is work with energy. Your thoughts are imperative to the energy you work with. You need to realize that the more experienced you get, you will start manifesting your desires just by thinking about them. The more sensitive you become and open to your gifts, the quicker this can happen. So you need to train your brain. If a negative thought creeps up work to replace it immediately with something positive. Am I saying never have a bad day? No. We are all going to go through tough times. Take the time to let the emotions out, ground, and start again with the realization that you control your life by controlling your thoughts. It's extremely important you master this skill.


7. Keep Your Words in Good Order:

Words are so powerful. You can cause changes in others lives with the words that you say. Every time you speak you need to realize this. Your words carry power, and you need to always treat them as such. Whatever you put out there will come back to you, so you need to be very mindful of what you are putting out there. Before you say something always consider the impact it will have on the other person. Now are you never gonna mess this up? Nope lol :))) When you do, realize it, and apologize then try again. The more you do this the easier it will become. For those of you who are empaths, this is likely a very big lifestyle for you as you will be aware of your impact upon others the minute you speak. For those of you who are empaths you need to realize that there is a fine line here. If someone is hurting you, you have every right to say no politely and walk away. That goes for anyone. I try to minimize arguing. If I see one coming I will ask for some time to cool down and revisit it. It's better then trying to have a discussion when emotions are high as you can cause unintended pain to someone else.


8. Celebrate Life:

Look around you! :)))) It's a beautiful world filled with amazing people, animals, trees, and life. Realize that each day you are here you have a precious gift and treat it as such. If you are not having fun in life then change your life. It will be worth it when you do. The divine want you to enjoy life and be able to appreciate the precious gifts that are all around you. Make sure you live your life


9. Attune With the Cycles of the Earth:

Most of you will find that you have a natural affinity for the cycles of the Earth. As you walk your path start learning about all the Sabbats and Esbats. Learn how each turn of the Wheel of the Year affects you and the lunar cycles. Note your experiences with them and how they affect you. Compare your results with others for you will find similarities ;)


10. Breathe and Eat Correctly:

Deep Breath. Ready? :))) Good. I tell you it's one of the simplest things but something I find gets overlooked the most. If you are stressed come back to center and breathe. One deep breath can really make a huge difference in a situation. You need to eat correctly as well as that can have huge impacts on your personality. You may find you get easily angered if you are hungry or low on a certain vitamin. Your body is a temple for your soul in this life and you need to treat it as such. It will literally impact every area of your life


11. Exercise the Body:

This is soooo important! You can walk, run, do jumping jacks, swim, whatever you like just move. When your body is in shape things will come easier, you will have extra confidence, and you will just all around feel better. Almost any form of exercise is grounding as well. Something stressing you out? Don't sit there, go for a 20 minute walk and then come back to it. More often than not, you will have the solution when you come back and it beats sitting in one spot replaying it through your mind 60 times for that answer. In doing this you are honoring the gift of you that the divine have blessed you with.


12. Meditate:

When we mediate we quiet the mind and focus our thoughts allowing us to receive messages from our guides easier. It reduces stress in our lives and gives us the ability to think clearly. Many of you have said that you don't have the time to meditate or have problems mediating. If this is the case try going for long quiet walks or taking up something creative like painting that quiets your mind and allows you to listen to your true self and your guides.


13. Honor the Goddess and the God:

Honor the God and Goddess whenever you can. A simple idea for this is simply giving thanks each night as you fall asleep. Honor them through celebrating the Esbats and Sabbats and celebrating them in any way you can. Realize that you walk hand in hand with the divine and they are there to help you :))) Make that connection and allow them to, and then thank them for their assistance. 

Much Love and Many Blessings,

Jasmeine Moonsong

Put A Little Magick in Your Day!

Premium edition includes daily magickal correspondences, quotes, affirmations, tarot card, spell , and an article teaching you more about your path. :))) 

http://www.wiccanmoonsong.com/Moonsong-Daily-Magick.html

Wiccan Evening Prayer

**original graphic by by EbonyTheHeiress**

Wiccan Evening Prayer

Ever since I was a little girl I always prayed each night before going to sleep. I don't get down on my knees, I just do it as I'm drifting off to sleep. I grew up protestant, so since converting to Wicca, I still carry on this tradition, however I have modified it a bit. ;) Part of what I use is an 18th century children's prayer that I've modified. Many of you will likely recognize it.

"Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord and Lady, my soul to keep,
May the Angels watch me through the night,
and keep me safe until morning's light."

I then go on to thank the Lord and Lady for all the blessings in my life. Usually as soon as I say thank you I will feel my body tingling. :))) It's a beautiful feeling.

Before I lay down each night I always light a single white tea light in my oil burner and use eucalyptus spearmint oil in it. I then ground and center before I get into bed. If I have not drifted off while saying my thank you's I also use this time to cleanse my chakras and check on my shield. It's the quietest time of the day for me. :)))

My evening ritual accomplishes a few things. The lighting of the white light is when I send out any healing that I may need to. During the day I receive requests from many of you, and this is my time to send out help where I think it is needed. The oil relaxes me and clears my mind to get me ready for sleep. My prayer for the evening is my way of giving thanks for all that I have been blessed with. If I've not fallen asleep, the cleansing at the end is to help my spiritual health. :))))

Much Love and Many Blessings,

Jasmeine Moonsong

Put A Little Magick in Your Day!

Premium edition includes daily magickal correspondences, quotes, affirmations, tarot card, spell , and an article teaching you more about your path. :))) 

http://www.wiccanmoonsong.com/Moonsong-Daily-Magick.html

P.S. I also came across a beautiful child's bedtime Pagan Prayer the other day. If you did not catch it on facebook, I will post it below. :)))))))

The Witch's Cauldron

**image source picstopin.com**

The Witch's Cauldron

If you look at items associated with witches today, one of the most popular ones is the cauldron. During Halloween especially you are likely to see lots of art depicting witches brewing their potions in the cauldron, cackling as some crazy color goes sparkling into the night sky to deliver the spell that they have just cast.....

Have you ever really given much thought to why witches are shown like this so frequently?

Sure we've all seen the movies with the stereotypical witches portrayed circling around a bubbling cauldron on a fire, but where did this association originally come from?

Back before we all had these modern stoves in every kitchen, the hearth was the center of the home. What was on the hearth? In almost every home you would find a large cast iron pot that hung over the fire to cook pretty much everything.




So my question is then, how did a every day cooking pan come to be associated with witches?

Perhaps it's because most of us love to cook, and may have carried our cauldron's a little further in life. After all they are amazing to cook in. There is nothing better during the winter then a stew in a cast iron pot that's been simmering over a fire all day. My parents live in a log cabin on top of a mountain. :)) They only use cast iron pots to cook in. They've actually gotten me started on my own collection for birthdays and Christmas over the past year. I absolutely adore the look of them, but I love the way the cook too. :))))) I don't have to worry about strange things chipping off in my food, and they always heat things amazingly. :)))))

In the days of old those cauldrons were also used to prepare herbal remedies over the fire. It wasn't uncommon to find soups, tinctures, and teas, simmering in various sized cauldrons over the fire. I know a few of you carry those traditions forward today. I will use a smaller one I have from time to time on my stove to simmer water to add humidity to the air and smell. :))))) I usually use my mini-crockpot though as it's safer than leaving the stove on.

Today we use it as witches for traditional reasons but also for many symbolic reasons. Many of the rituals we do you will find the cauldron used. Many of us keep small cauldrons on our alters. I am among them. It is the symbolic womb of the Great Mother Goddess. I actually use mine quite frequently when working with magick. I will use it often to burn herbs safely in during my ritual or spell work. It can also be used for divination purposes by scrying in the water or the smoke from the cauldron.

One day I would love to have a home with a large hearth that I can keep a cauldron or several over the fire for teas, soups, and other magickal things. There's something just amazingly soothing about it to me. :))))

On my birthday last year I actually found an old cauldron. I believe it to be a gift from my Grandfather and it hangs in my kitchen today. I don't use it for cooking as it's quite old, but I keep things in it like flowers, fruits, nuts, etc. :))))) I have used it in a couple rituals, but very specific work to do with my ancestors. That's what the energy on it feels appropriate to me for. :))))) It reminds me of my Grandfather as he always had one over the fire when we went camping. :))))) I wrote an article about it here: http://wiccanmoonsong.blogspot.com/2012/09/old-cauldron.html

The picture of it is below :))





Much Love and Many Blessings,

Jasmeine Moonsong

Put A Little Magick in Your Day!

Premium edition includes daily magickal correspondences, quotes, affirmations, tarot card, spell , and an article teaching you more about your path. :))) 

http://www.wiccanmoonsong.com/Moonsong-Daily-Magick.html

The Flying Witch

original graphic by Vampy-Note

The Flying Witch

Merry Meet :))) Many of you are probably very familiar with the witch's broom. Some of you may also be aware that these brooms were used in a myriad of ways to include cleansing negative energies from the home. How about the many pictures we see of witch's flying on brooms though? Do you know where this comes from?

Dating as far back as the early 14th and 15th centuries, witches would use what were referred to as "flying ointments." One theory is that these ointments were used to assist with what we refer to today as Astral Travel. Astral travel is basically when we work to seperate our astral body from our physical body and travel to the astral plane. Think of it sort of like dreaming but while awake. Today we can use herbs and crystals to assist us with this process, but do to some herbs having been proved to be dangerous, we cannot achieve this state of being through herbs alone. Today our goal with astral travel is to maintain in control of our experiences. Some may still use the stronger herbs to assist with their astral journeys today. But astral travel is for another article ;)

As I mentioned before some of the herbs used to produce these effects in those days were highly toxic. The witches had to take great care when making these salves, to make sure the amount used was enought to produce visions, and not enough to be lethal. These salves produced not only the visions of astral travel, but they often made them feel as if they were flying. Hence why a witch could "fly" to a ritual on a sabbat. It is more likely they were using the ointments during the ritual by annointing their body with them. This then increased their visions on that evening, and thus could give them the sense of flying. They were not actually flying around on broomsticks. There are other theories as to their use of the salve on the broomstick, but I will leave those for you to find. ;)

Love and Blessings,

Jasmeine Moonsong

Goddess Oracle - The Witch

From the Goddess Oracle

The Witch

Spell Casting

The witch is a symbol of the hidden feminine powers that make life possible.  As humans, our greatest ability is that of creation.  We  have a great potential for both creation and destruction.  When the witch comes into your life, it is time to bring out all of your guns.  Use your intuition to know how to apply your efforts.  Use spell casting and wish craft to bring extra symbolic spice to your effort.  When we make wishes or spells, we add potent emotional meaning to our desires.  We inform our unconscious of hidden powers of control.  Even just feeling that you have control over your surroundings can make a big difference in your life.  Attempt an exercise where you practice believing that you have influence over everything around you.  Once you believe this, many things will change around you.

Merry Meet,

I pulled this card this morning for Moonsong Daily Magick.  As soon as I pulled it I felt urged to not only share it with them but with you as well. It's an extremely important message and I feel it pertains directly to quite a few who have been emailing me and sending me messages lately. :)) I'm sure there are many others out there that this will hit home for as well.  

It also directly corresponds to a post that will be coming up very soon that I've been urged to write.  So keep your eyes open ;)

Love and Blessings,

Jasmeine Moonsong

Bridget Bishop

Merry Meet,

"She struggled to breathe as her stomach flipped over in knots knowing that this was to be one of the last breaths she took... she felt the breeze blowing her dress in the wind and she tried to deafen out the noise of the people cheering as she felt the rope start to tighten around her neck. She took another deep breath trying to keep her knees steady knowing what was coming......A sickening thud was the last thing she heard with the roar in her ears as the world went dark."

From the time I was little I was always fascinated with the Salem Witch Trials. To this day I still love the town of Salem. The old sea town has always felt comforting to me. We've all hear the hype about the Salem Witch trials and the fact that the "afflicted girls" made up a lot of malarky to get attention and manipulate society. That's for another article completely. Today I wanted to focus in on Bridget Bishop. She was one of the nineteen people convicted and executed for witchcraft in the Salem trials. Out of all those accused, I was always drawn to her name.

There are various websites and books that write about her, and everyone has their own take on Bridget Bishop. I have kept the facts in the article I've used as accurate as I can using a general consensus from everything I have read throughout the years and to prepare for this article. A lot of her life story that I am including here was used against her in her trial.


Background on Bridget Bishop


Bridget Playfair, known as Bridget Bishop was born in England in 1640. However, biographical records on those from the Massachusetts Bay Colony are difficult to find, so this date is an estimate. Her date of birth has been estimated in documents from 1632 to 1640.


Bridget Bishop was married three times. A fact alone that didn't go over well in a Puritan society.


First Marriage


On April 13, 1660, Bridget married George Wesselbe at St. Mary-in-the-Marsh, Norwich, Norfolk, England. This was her first marriage and she was about the age of twenty. It is said that after their marriage the two came to the Massachusetts Bay Colony and settled in Salem. There is speculation about if they came together because George's immigration records have never been found. However, as stated earlier it is not uncommon for records to be missing for the Bay Colony. He passed away after just six years of being married. She had two children from the first marriage according to church baptist records but both children died very young.


Second Marriage


On July 26, 1666, she was married to Thomas Oliver. Mr Oliver was a widower who was known to be a prominent business man. In 1667 she had a daughter that ironically was either named Christian or Christina. It is said that she also had a daughter named Mary. Bridgette and Thomas's marriage was known to be a rough marriage. She was seen many times in town with bruises or a bloody face from confrontations with her husband. They were known to fight in public which was not tolerated in a Puritan community. In 1670 she was tried for fighting with Thomas Oliver. It is said that she called him an “old rogue” and “old devil” on the Sabbath. A few years later they were both tried for fighting in public. Bridget and her husband were ordered to stand back to back bound and gagged in the main market area for an hour, with notes describing what they had done attached to their foreheads.

Thomas Oliver passed away in 1679. Bridgette Bishop was destitute and had to petition the town for assistance. It is not clear why she was left that way though. There are two different stories. One says that because she was not the "normal" Puritan domicile wife that her husband accused her of being a witch. However another story says that he simply owed a ton a money and once he passed on his assets were claimed to pay his debt.


First Formal Accusation of Witchcraft


In 1680, after his death, Bridget was actually brought up on charges of witchcraft and accused of causing Thomas Oliver's death. She was tried in Boston. At her trial the minister of her church was allowed to testify on her behalf convincing the jury that she was a member in good standing of the church. With his testimony and the lack of evidence Bridget was acquitted of all charges.



photo credit Rachael Putt


Third Marriage

In 1687, Bridget married Edward Bishop, a sawyer from Beverly. A sawyer back then, was the man who was responsible for going out and getting all sorts of wood, from wood for the fires to timber for the ships. They typically worked in teams of two to get the lumber. Bridget opened a tavern at their house for the travelers. She was known for providing refreshments, entertainment and games of shovel-board, and having the tavern open very late. In her time though, the primary method of travel was horseback, so there were many travelers going by her home on their way in and out of time. Shovel-board was actually one of the games that was allowed in the community she lived in.

Bridget was known for the black cape and hat that she always wore and her red bodice. In those times it was considered rather showy attire. Regardless of how people spoke of her, Bridget was not one to care what society thought of her. She was an independent woman who wasn't afraid to live outside the norms of a very conservative society. Her lack of conforming made her a target of the witchcraft hysteria.

Edward Bishop, was also a widower and had three children from his previous marriage to Hannah. One of the children was named Edward after him. His son Edward was born in 1648. He married Sarah Wilds, daughter of William Wilds of Ipswich.


Arrested for Witchcraft

On April 18, 1692, Bridget Bishop was arrested for Witchcraft. Bishop's response to the accusations was: "I am innocent, I know nothing of it, I have done no witchcraft... I am as innocent as the child unborn....I have made no contact with the Devil, I have never seen him before in my life.


Transcript of Warrant for Arrest 

Salem. April the 18'th 1692

There being Complaint this day made (Before us) by Ezekiell Chevers and John putnam Jun'r both of Salem Village Yeomen: in

Behalfe of theire Majesties, for themselfes and also for theire Neigh-

bours Against Giles Cory , and Mary Waren both of Salem farmes

And Abigaile Hobbs the daughter of Wm Hobs of the Towne of Tops-

feild and Bridgett Bushop the wife of Edw'd Bishop of Salem Sawyer

for high Suspition of Sundry acts of Witchcraft donne or Committed

by them, upon the Bodys of: Ann putnam . Marcy Lewis , and Abig'l Williams and Mary Walcot and Eliz. Hubert -- of Salem village --

whereby great hurt and damage hath benne donne to the Bodys of

Said persons above named.therefore craved Justice --

You are therefore in their Majest's names hereby required to

apprehend and bring before us Giles Cory & Mary Waren of Salem

farmes, and Abigail Hobs the daugter of Wm Hobs of the Towne of

Topsfeild and Bridget Bushop the wife of Edward Bushop of Salem

To Morrow about Eight of the Clock in the forenoone, at the house

of Lt Nathaniell Ingersalls in Salem Village in order to theire Ex-

amination Relateing to the premises aboves'd and here of you are not

to faile Dated Salem April 18'th 1692

To George Herrick Marshall of the County of Essex --

*John Hathorne

*Jonathan.Corwin {

Assis'ts

( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 1. Page 29 )

Her Accusers

Bridget was accused by the "afflicted girls", Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam Jr, Mercy Lewis, Mary Walcott, and Elizabeth Hubbard. Bridget claimed that she had never met any of the girls.

William Stacy was another man who accused Bridget of being a witch. Interestingly enough she had helped to heal his child earlier in time.

John and William Bly, a father and son testified against Bridget claiming that when they were hired to work on her house they found poppets in her basement. Poppets are small dolls, they are supposedly similar to vodoo dolls.

Samuel Shattuck, a local tanner, testified against her that she had asked him to die small pieces of clothing, like what would be used on a doll.

Richard Conan testified that Bridget Bishop kept appearing to him at night in spectral form.



The Trial

Bridget was charged, tried and executed in eight days. On June 10, 1692, Bridget was hung on Gallows hill in Salem. She was the first of nineteen people to be executed for witchcraft during this time. On the day of her hanging she did not show remorse and continued to proclaim her innocence.


The Aftermath

Many were disturbed by her trial and the outcome of her trial. After her death the court took a recess and there were no more executions until a month after her death. One of the judges, Nathaniel Salstonstall resigned after her death.


Edward Bishop Jr and Sarah Bishop

Edward Bishop Jr (son of Bridgette's husband) and his wife Sarah Bishop were accused of witchcraft in the summer of 1692. They escaped from jail in Boston in September.

Proclaimed Innocent

In 1992, The Danvers Tercentennial Committee persuaded the Massachusetts House of Representatives to issue a resolution honoring those who had died. After much convincing and hard work by Salem school teacher Paula Keene, Representatives J. Michael Ruane and Paul Tirone and others, the names of all those not previously listed as exonerated were added to this resolution. It was finally signed on October 31, 2001, by Governor Jane Swift, more than 300 years later, Bridget Bishop and all involved were proclaimed innocent.

My intent with this article was not to rehash the Salem witch trials as I think everyone is familiar. I wanted to paint a clearer portrait of one woman who was involved in the trials. A strong independent woman who was ahead of her times. A woman not afraid to stand up for herself and voice her opinion.

I've seen debate on the possibility if Bridget may have been a witch. I do believe she was a witch in that she was a healer. I have read several accounts of her working with herbs and trying to heal people around her. When the people were sick, Bridget was called on quite often. She is one of the few that went to trial that I have intuitively felt was a witch. However, not the definition of a witch in their time as one that worshiped the devil. One that worked with the earth, and the elements and herbs to try to help others around her. Regardless of if she was or wasn't she didn't deserve to die for it, and she certainly didn't fit the definition of "witch" that they had at that time.

I am always interested in learning more so if anyone has any additional information about her, I would love to hear them. :)))) I found a lot of conflicting information and I must confess I spent quite a few hours trying to wade through it and sort out what really happened.

Love and Blessings,

Jasmeine Moonsong

Angels, Archangels, and Ascended Masters

Merry Meet,

Good Morning :))) It's the first day of the Pagan Blog Project and our letter for today is "a".  I knew right away when I saw this what I wanted to write about: Angels, Archangels, and Ascended Masters.

In the community I often see a lot of Wiccans or Witches asking if it's ok to be a Christian witch.  I also see  a lot of responses saying no..... While I agree that some of the traditional christian religions may not agree with you practicing witchcraft or as a wiccan, I don't think there is an issue with one being a witch or Wiccan and working with Angels, Archangels, and Ascended Masters.  From what I've seen the majority of the time, those asking if it's ok are wanting to do that and it makes sense for what we believe.

I have been taught to explore all religions, and look at each one for similarities and to be open minded to all of them as a witch.  When you do that you will notice many of the prominant people in each religion are in multiple religions they just may go by different names.  But that is an entire blog entry in and of itself.  What I want to get across today is that as a witch or Wiccan I believe it is more than ok to work with the Angels.  Let's face it, as witches a lot of us are lightworkers.  We are here to heal and help others.  So if one feels the call to work with the Angels I believe it makes perfect sense.

Ascended Masters are enlightened beings who are basically walking angels.  They have come to Earth and served some time among us assisting us as healers teachers and prophets. They are now members of the spirit world again and help us from the other side. Some examples of Ascended Masters are Jesus, St. Teresa, Quan Yin, Buddha, Mary Magdelane and there are many more who are known through all different religions.  The Archangels are extremely powerful angels who are here to help us and they help to oversee the guardian angels.  Some of the Archangels are Archangel Michael, Archangel Gabriel, and Archangel Uriel.

As witches we learn to work with spirits, spirits of the Gods and Goddesses, spirit guides, animal spirits, spirits of the elements. Does it not make perfect sense that we would work with Angels, Archangels, and Ascended Masters as well?  Many of us are capable of "walking between realms" and are blessed to be able to see and hear clearer then others.  So not only does it make it easier for us to work with them, but it is easier for us to pass along their messages as well.

This was one of the things that I struggled with when first formally following my path.  I wasn't sure if it was "ok" to still work with angels?  The more I walk this path the more I realize how perfectly it all fits together.  It really matters not what religion you are, it matters that you are spiritual.  That you do believe in a higher power and recognize there are spirits about to help us.  That you love yourself and really take the time to listen and connect to the energies around you.  If you wish to call upon the Angels, call upon them.  When you walk your path do what feels right for you.  Write your own Book of Shadows and put in it what is most comfortable and resonates for you.  There is no right or wrong path in Wicca or when you are a witch, however you must walk the one that is the truest for you.

The world is a beautiful place.  Take the time to look around you.  If you wish to work with the angels you just need to ask.  I am routinely left signs from them, pennies and feathers to let me know when I have done right, or when I need that added reinforcement that I am not alone.  You can feel their presence.  You will have a light tingly feeling when they are about.  

I have recommended that several of my Empath students work with the Angels.  Because of our sensitivity in nature it always seems to help and is a perfect match.  A lot of them have grown to love it.  One of the questions I get asked the most is how to start working with them.  It is as simple as asking for their help.  One of the tools I used though, that opened the doors for communication for me were the angel oracle decks.  I work with several angel oracle decks on a daily basis and they have made communication easier for me.  In case you wish to try it here are the decks that I use:


Messages from Your Angels Oracle Cards - Doreen Virtue
Healing with the Angels - Doreen Virtue
Archangel Oracle Cards - Doreen Virtue
Ascended Master Oracle Cards - Doreen Virtue

They are all by Doreen Virtue.  I find her decks very uplifting and soothing to work with.  She's also written many books on the angels that if you wish to explore further I would recommend reading as well.  She's very truthful and down to earth in her writing and a very easy read.

So now it's time to hear from you! :))) Do you work with the angels, Archangels, or Ascended Masters currently?  If not do you think you might give it a try? I would love to hear from you. :)))

Love and Blessings to you all,

Jasmeine Moonsong

To Be a Witch...

Merry Meet :))

I came across a video this morning that I was impressed with right away called the Heart of a Witch by Ms Julie Carol. She has done a series of short videos on being a witch.  If you are interested you can find her page here:  http://www.youtube.com/user/MsJulieCarol

Three of them however I was extremely taken with, and I thought she had a wonderful way of describing what it is like to be a witch. They are called: To Be A Witch, The Heart of a Witch, and The Life of a Witch.  So I took the time to write down her poems from each of the video.  I would still encourage those of you who have access to youtube to take time to look at the videos as the images and music these poems are set to are amazing.  She did a beautiful job.  I will put the link for each video after the poem. I hope you enjoy!

Love and Blessings,
Jasmeine Moonsong



To Be A Witch

Through the Ages, in Myths and Fairy Tales
Witches were said to be wicked....
We have been called many things, But now it truly can be said
Witches do not harm, We are the protectors and the healers
Yet, we also do not fear, That which is considered to be evil
It is evil that fears the Witch, Witches are amused by it's weakness
You can be sure that where the Witch is It will not show it's presence
The Witch will venture into places that others dare not go
The Witch eagerly seeks What most don't want to know
The Witch walks with the pentacle It is not only a symbol of balance
It is a Powerful Protective amulet That demands a benevolent reality
The Witch will travel To other planes of existance
It has been said that witch's fly but it's really astral projection
To travel on the astral plane Is a projection of awareness and energy
to keep watch over all or just to be nosey
Alteres states of consciousness Provide inspiration and lucid dreams
We see other realities and know that life is not what it seems
Our state of being is the Master of all that life is 
A clear mind and inner peace is where power truly lives
The Witch's power of psychic ability and strength comes from ceremony and alignment
on every Sabbat and Esbat  a circle upon the earth, a sphere of sacred space
The witch connects with Consciousness suspended in time it is not a place
It is the universal mind The one beating heart
The rythm of life itself  that has been here from the start
As witches we are mindful of every word that we speak
mindful of our thoughts for they will eventually come to be
the witch can bring love and happiness to a heart that is hurting
some music and a special potion and you have a party
there are endless possibilities to the magick a witch creates
the witch can open a heart and erase all fear and hate
witches may have been feared long ago by sickened minds
but today fear or no fear never again the burning times
we are always learning more we inspire and we teach
to be a witch is enchanting to enchant is to be a witch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKBVHxZsZ60&feature=youtu.be







The Heart of a Witch

The practice of witchery is as old as time
to be a witch is to be chosen a calling that is divine
The divine guides the heart of the witch
A power that comes from within
The witch nurtures this power
It is the center of being the center of all that is
White and black witchery the difference is very clear
each is born from emotions within
one is love 
one is fear
why would a witch with ancient wisdom of wise ways
perform black magick and acknowledge being afraid?
to know the power of the witch is to listen to the wind
to trust in the wisdom as you breathe in
to dare to feel the power of the witch
is to dare to let go of the hurt
to dare to heal with the passion of fire
is to dare to heal the world
to will the power of the witch
the witch must master a will that is unbreakable
a will that can move mountains
to keep silent the power of the witch is to not speak of magick casted
magickal energy has more strength unbroken with a clear path
to keep silent the power of a witch secret knowledge for the witch to keep
dreams, visions the heart of a wtich is a well that runs very deep
the art of witchcraft the art of ritual and spells
is a place of magick and mystery where the heart of a witch dwells

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPslo1DpE0E&feature=youtu.be





The Life of a Witch

The witch greets the day A candle is lit
with peace and gratitude In meditation she sits
she plans the day by the phases of the moon
she sweeps out the old to make room for the new
she sweetens the air with incense and oils
she cares for her herbs and waters the soil
because she listens she is given answers
there are things she knows when she works her magick
the people she loves in her heart she holds true
she only sees the right in all that they do
the seasonal  Sabbats are festive and fun
a feast of celebration to honor the sun
in the Esbat circle she draws down the power
from the full moon at the midnight hour
when the sun sets low and the witch ends her day
in her bath of salt she washes away
all that not right and what she wants to change
another candle is lit only gratitude remains

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCKQFmPd1Os&feature=youtu.be

Daily Affirmation

Daily Affirmation: I am in harmony with the world around me.

What Does It Mean to Be a Witch?

This was in my Lesson 5 homework at Sacred Mists and I just love it! It says it's by anonymous in the lesson

To be a witch is to love and be loved.

To be a witch is to know everything, and nothing at all.

To be a witch is to change the world around you and yourself.

To be a witch is to share and give, while receiving all the while.

To be a witch is to dance and sing, and hold hands with the universe.

To be a witch is to honor the gods, and yourself.

To be a witch it to BE magick, not just perform it.

To be a witch is to be honorable, or nothing at all.

To be a witch is to accept others who are not.

To be a witch is to know what you feel is right and good.

To be a witch is to harm none.

To be a witch is to know the ways of the old.

To be a witch is to see beyond the barriers.

To be a witch is to follow the moon.

To be a witch is to be one with the gods.

To be a witch is to study and to learn.

To be a witch is to be the teacher and the student.

To be a witch is to acknowledge the truth.

To be a witch is to live with the Earth, not just in it.

To be a witch is to be truly free!