Lughnasadh - August 2020

Wild Goddess Magick

Witchology Magazine Planning a

Harvest Garden Celebrating During a

Pandemic Interview With Witches Louisa and Meg of Witch

With Me

Lughnasadh & The First Harvest

Delicious

Bread Recipes for Lughnasadh

Getting Started With Shamanic

Plant Healing

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August Moons Gregorian Calendar: August’s moon is often called the corn, barley, red, or sturgeon moon. During this full moon, work on magic relating to abundance, health, prosperity, and renewal.

Celtic Tree Calendar: The Holly Moon is celebrated until August 4th and the Hazel moon is celebrated between August 5th and September 1st. The Celtic name for Hazel is Coll, pronounced Kol. The Holly moon is associated with beauty, protection, luck, and dreams while the Hazel moon is associated with manifestation, protection, knowledge, and wisdom.

-Seasons of Wicca

Lukas Gojda

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EDITORIAL Ambrosia Hawthorn, Editor-in-Chief Sarah Justice, Co-Editor Louisa Blackthorn, Acquisitions Editor Meg Rosenbriar, Acquisitions Editor Christie O’Regan, Acquisitions Editor

ART & PHOTOS Cover: All other photos are from stock.adobe.com, free stock sources, or from contributors.

SUBMISSIONS ambrosia@witchologymagazine.com sarah@witcologymagazine.com www.witchologymagazine.com/submissionsads/

SOCIAL www.witchologymagazine.com www.instagram.com/witchologymag www.twitter.com/wgmagick www.facebook.com/witchologymag Copyright © 2020 by Wild Goddess Magick.

All rights reserved. This magazine or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Magazine is intended for ages 18 and up.

We are a proud participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Rest assured, all our content is reviewed and vetted in this process.

The opinions expressed in our published works are those of the authors and do not reflect the opinions of Witchology Magazine or Wild Goddess Magick.

Witchology Magazine assumes no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed or incomplete information, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon.

So please note, we cannot guarantee any outcomes from the content of this magazine, but please don't give up on the magick within you!

Welcome!

Welcome to our 27th issue of Witchology Magazine!

A small independent digital publication created in 2018. It’s been quite the journey and transformation but it won’t end here. Witchology has a very bright future so make sure to stay tuned!

Within this issue, I’ve teamed up with the lovely witches at Witch With Me to bring you more exclusive content, stories, shops, articles, and more.

I’ve also interviewed the owners of Witch With Me, Meg and Louisa, and hope you’ll be as inspired as I am by their work.

In the spirit of the first harvest, it’s my hope that you’ll find something in this issue that will truly elevate your practice.

Blessed be witches,

Ambrosia Hawthorn @wildgoddessmagick

Wild Goddess Magick

Witchology Magazine

Cover designed by Ambrosia Hawthorn

Our Witchy Team 1

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14 1. Sarah Justice @tinycauldron Tinycauldron.com Co-Editor, writer, shop owner

6. Mike Sexton @artistmikes Mikesextonstudio.com Contributor, eclectic Wiccan, artist, and published author.

2. Karla Michelle Freeling @spellboundarrangements Spelboundarangements.etsy.com Mother in the military, Pagan, shop owner

7. Severina Sosa @severinathewitch medium.com/@severinathewitch Hedgewitch, herbalist, writer

3. Miss Wondersmith @misswondersmith Thewondersmith.com Wondersmith, recipe creator, forager, event hostess

8. Astera Taylor @astreataylor Astreataylor.com Published author, witch blogger, fire dancer

4. Vivacia Ahwen @sheraprincess Msvivacia.wordpress.com Witch, astrologer, romance author, artist

9. Lunaria Gold @lunaria_gold curioseum.etsy.com Illustrator, deck creator

5. Katiee McKinstry @rosecafletic lifestartswithcoffee.com Writer, witch

10. Jennifer Lane @thegreenwitchwriter jenniferlanewrites.com Nature writer, green witch

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16 11. Miss Snow @thewildmoongarden Green witch, herb grower, clothing maker 12. Ellen Evert Hopman Herbalist, published author Elleneverthopman.com Tribeoftheoak.com 13. Frances Billinghurst @francesbillinghurst templedarkmoon.com Published author, witch, devotional beader 14. Tugce Okay @heartaches.ofthemoon Nature witch, painter, illustrator, tattoo artist 15. Genie Fae Etsy.com/shop/AsAboveAlchemy Witch, herbal magick 16. Wren @the_cemetery_witch @oak_and_bramble Witch, writer, nature lover

AUGUST 7 August Magickal Workings 8 Witchy New Releases 9 Thorsonn’s Workshop Feature 10 Wiccawolfie Feature 11 Curioseum Feature 16 August Astrology Forecast: Fierce Love 28 Interview with Meg and Louisa of Witch With Me 52 Witchology Directory

FEATURES 12 Celebrating Lammas in a Pandemic 22 Honoring Dionysus and the First Harvest 30 Lughnasadh Art 24 Understanding the Dark Goddess 34 Our Shamanic World: The Power of Plants 39 Lughnasadh: A Children’s Story 43 Igniting Your Creativity in the Kitchen 46 Lughnasadh Come Witch With Me Story

MAGICKAL LEARNING 14 Planning a Garden for the Waning Season 26 The Tiny Spellbook Lammas Kitchen Witchery: Corn Braids 31 How to use Amethyst During the Harvest 32 Herb and Crystal: Vetch & Chrysoberyl 36 The Prayer Tie Spell The Magick of Summer Berries: Lughnasadh’s Other Signature Bounty

MAGICKAL RECIPES 48 Wren’s Lughnasadh Bread 50 Yarrow and Carrot Focaccia Art 6

AUGUST MAGICKAL WORKINGS August is the time of the first harvest in the Northern Hemisphere. The day of August 1st marks the Pagan celebration of Lughnasadh or Old English, Lammas meaning “Loaf Mass.�

However, some may choose to celebrate on the 5th or 6th or even astrologically when the Sun reaches 15 degrees in Leo. Whenever you plan to celebrate, the entire month is ideal for focusing on the magick of abundance, growth, protection, and gratitude.

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Witchy New Releases Want to know what’s new in the witchy community? Then look no further. We’ve put together these latest releases.

The Grimoire Journal: A Place to Record Spells, Rituals, Recipes, and More Pagan Portals - Thor

By Paige Vanderbeck

By Morgan Daimler

Craft a life filled with your own magic―a guided grimoire journal for new witches A witch’s grimoire, or book of spells, is their magical companion and most powerful tool―and The Grimoire Journal is your personal guide to building your own.

Untangling the mythology and modern lore surrounding the most popular Norse deity, Thor.

Thor is an immensely popular God but also one of contradictions, whose complexity is sometimes underrated. Often depicted as oafish, he was clever enough to outwit the dwarf Alviss (All-wise). A god of storms and thunder, he brought fertility and blessed brides at weddings and although a defender of civilization and order, he usually travelled with a trickster deity.

Available at Moon Books.

Learn to bless your home, scry with stars, craft your own tarot reading, or brew an enchanted tea. Then follow the journal prompts to create your own spells, recipes, and rituals for clearing writer’s block, protecting a friend, opening yourself up to new opportunities, and so much more.

Available at Amazon.

Pagan Portals - Persephone

By Robin Corak Embark upon a powerful journey with Persephone, Queen of the Underworld and Goddess of Spring, as she helps you to discover your personal power and take control of your life.

There is something for everyone in this book, which will be of interest to longstanding devotees of Persephone as well as those feeling newly-called to work with this powerful Goddess who helps us to walk a path of empowerment.'

Jhenah Telyndru, founder of the Sisterhood of Avalon and author of Rhiannon: Great Queen of the Celtic Britons Available at Moon Books.

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SHOP FEATURE

Thorsonn’s Workshop

Thorson’s workshop has been open for a little over two years.

I love making every item.

Each piece is made with love and energy at my own altar, so whenever I'm working, it always feels so much more than a physical process. It’s almost like conducting a ritual with each item I create.

It's hard to say what actually made me open my original online store. I made my first rune set for myself years ago, and I was brought up around woodwork as my father is an incredible carpenter.

Shop

I think it kind of evolved organically from being a hobby to a little bit of extra money in my free time, to what is now my full-time job.

I am extremely grateful each day, as I get to combine my love of woodwork with my love of Norse Mythology, Magick, and my Shamanic practice.

At Thorsonn's Workshop, I can put all these things together and produce some truly wonderful pieces. I mainly work with wood, creating decor, altarpieces, divination tools, jewelry, and gifts.

On top of that, I'm very proud that currently there are two separate charity clothing campaigns that I've been able to run through The Workshop, with 100% of profits going to charity.

Social: @thorsonnsworkshop

For those who want to start their own business and follow the my advice would be to know in your mind that it will happen, put in the work (trust me on that part; it's a lot of work), and watch as you manifest your dream.

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SHOP FEATURE

Wiccawolfie Wiccawolfie has been live since November 2 of last year. I wanted to celebrate Samhain as well as my opening at the same time.

In my shop, I mostly sell jewelry that contains crystals and/or herbs. Some of the items need the help of the spirits and guides to be chosen for the client. Other items are simply altar decorations, such as bowls and wands. I also create name tags with crystals to help animals heal.

I've wanted to start my own business for many years but the financial struggle always but a stop to it. So it wasn't until February when I got my Siberian Husky and I started experimenting with her and crystals, that I finally decided to share what I've learned: Animals are a major source to one’s healing because they are more sensitive to the divine.

There will always be ups and downs and struggles, but in the end, you're creating with passion and that should always be the goal.

My biggest fear, starting my own shop, was and still is "will people like this," but I don't let that stop me because I love what I do! So my advice would be to do some research because every country has its own laws when starting a small business. Also research your audience. Who do you want to create for and how can you learn from them?

Social: @wiccawolfie.se

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SHOP FEATURE

Curioseum The Whisper of Trees: The Irish Ogham oracle deck honors the ancient arboreal alphabet

Below is The Irish Ogham oracle, which is an homage to the Ogham's early history and to Irish soil. Each card's artwork features an Ogham few, its corresponding tree, and a mineral or crystal found in Ireland. The cards also include the feda's Bríatharogaim- short figures of speech traditionally used to describe the Ogham feda's names and imagery. Excerpts of Irish poetry were carefully chosen to build upon the meaning and energy of each card, celebrating the beauty and power of language. Through poetry and the mystery of ancient Ireland, The Irish Ogham delivers its messages in a personal and intuitive way to each reader, as long lost echoes heard through a grove of trees.

First inscribed on stone and wood between the 1st and 4th centuries, Ogham's history is steeped in mystery, often regarded as a secret link between ancient Celtic culture and records of post-Christianity Ireland. Social: @lunaria_gold

Shop Trees are universally revered as quiet agents of wisdom, from the power of their deep, long-lived roots to the gentle murmur of their branches in the wind. Through its association with trees, the Ogham, Ireland's ancient alphabet, has maintained a magical presence and evolved through centuries as a tool for inspiration and divination.

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FEATURE

Celebrating Lammas in a Pandemic

By Astrea Taylor @gudrun

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n my part of the world, late summer is a glorious time of the year. I associate the Lammas season with long days, cool nights, gardens bursting with produce, Leonine energy, big group rituals, and potluck parties teeming with delicious food. With all of these marvelous things, it’s easy to see why one would love celebrating the first harvest.

the warm weather, I love to bake for Lammas.

My inner kitchen witch comes out to play; zucchini bread, chocolate chip cookies, and other magickal confections emerge from my oven along with their mouth-watering aromas.

But this year, Lammas is different. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a lot of changes. Due to social distancing, I no longer see many of my friends. This means we don’t exchange laughter, vegetables, or baked goods. My potluck parties have dried up like unwatered plants. Gone are the times where a circle of friends could share sips of beer straight from the bottle, or try a bite from someone else’s plate.

Lammas season is usually when I trade cherry tomatoes from my garden for eggplants and bell peppers from my friends’ gardens, and when my mom gives me garlic and herbs in exchange for my notoriously hot jalapeños.

This is the time of year when my kitchen abounds with vegetable-heavy meals. Despite

I envision that we’ll all be wilder and wiser from our lone adventures during these times.

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FEATURE

The restrictions associated with this pandemic seem like the exact opposite of the energy I usually associate with Lammas. Instead of a vibrant community celebrating together, we’re all separate, and some of us may not celebrate at all. In place of the abundant life energy inherent at this time, there are very real fears and concerns about sickness and death.

aid me. I rarely choose my words before ritual, but I’ll likely ask for their blessings on the things I’m harvesting in my life, such as health, balance, abundance, magick, and creativity.

When the energy peaks, I’ll release my will into the world and envision an abundant harvest of everything I named. I’ll enjoy a few bites and sips from the altar, knowing I’ll leave the majority of the items as an offering for the spirits. After giving gratitude to the sun, the earth, and the spirits, I’ll release the circle.

This pandemic probably hasn’t been easy for any of us. However, I’ve come to realize that, as long as I’m healthy, these times have given me an opportunity to improve my practice. In the spirit of innovation and inspiration, I’d like to share my plan on how I’m going to keep the magick alive and celebrate Lammas safely during the pandemic.

Later that day, I’ll be sure to call my friends and family to share laugher and love with them. I may not be going to a potluck party, but I can still reach out and feel a connection with my community.

On Lammas morning, I’ll revive my kitchen witch tradition—I’ll make enough baked goods for my household to enjoy over the next few days, and a little more for offerings.

While this Lammas is different from those in my past, I’m certain it’ll be no less magickal; it’s just a different kind of magick! This work is still very important and necessary—at least, it is for me. I hope we can all stay healthy and take the lessons from this time to make some positive, deep internal changes. As I like to say: Rough times make tough witches.

When the sun is at its peak, I’ll set up an altar outdoors and decorate it with flowers, herbs, vegetables, a tasty beverage, and some of my baked goods. I’ll greet the sun and stand in its warm light. My bare feet will connect me with the energy of the earth. With deep breaths, I’ll inhale the late summer sunshine and take it into myself. I’ll imagine that I’m weaving golden threads of pure energy into my body and aura. With every breath, I’ll allow myself to feel increased bliss and magick.

I look forward to the time when I can eventually meet up with my friends and the magickal community. I envision that we’ll all be wilder and wiser from our lone adventures during these times. We’ll probably have lots of stories and food to share.

When I feel as if I’m overflowing with positive energy, I’ll cast a simple circle and call upon my ancestors and the spirits who

However you choose to celebrate Lammas this year, I hope it’s safe, meaningful, and magickal.

Astrea Taylor is the author of the best selling book "Intuitive Witchcraft" and a blogger for Patheos Pagan.

She is also an accomplisher fire performer and owns a business called The Blessed Be Box that sells a “ritual in a box” for the solstices, equinoxes, and cross-quarter holidays.

Celebrating Lammas in a Pandemic

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PLANNING A GARDEN FOR THE WANING SEASON

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lthough it is still summer in many parts of the world, every day since Litha has been growing shorter. With multiple harvest festivals coming up, such as Mabon and Samhain, planning and starting your autumn garden is a great way to focus your positive energy. Today I’ll answer a few questions people often have about when to start, what to grow, and how to use your harvest.

When To Start With most gardens, in order to get a successful fall harvest, seeds should be sown from mid-July to late August. Transplants can also be done around this time if starting from seed isn’t an option.

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Look into what “zone” you live in, which will help you better narrow down what you can successfully grow and when you should plant. This information can easily be found online.

What Should I Grow?

While what exactly you grow is up to you, there are certain vegetables that tend to do much better in the late summer and fall. Here is just a small list: • Turnips • Rutabagas • Spinach • Swiss chard • Peas • Radishes • Carrots • Kale • Cauliflower • Broccoli • Beets How To Use Your Autumn Vegetables Once your garden is ready to be harvested, there are plenty of magickal ways that you can use your homegrown vegetables.

One of the most popular ways is by using them in kitchen magick. This is a great way to truly honor the food you’ve grown while also using each of the four elements: Earth (the vegetables), Air (the steam), Fire (the heat), and Water (the liquid).

Soups are a good place for beginners to start because they are both easy and customizable. In addition to using your autumn vegetables, you can use herbs that are sacred to the two remaining harvest holidays, Mabon and Samhain. Herbs like sage and rosemary pair perfectly with carrots, onions, peas, kale, turnips, and swiss chard.

In addition, the kitchen tools needed to make soup have their own magickal properties.

Cauldrons and mortars and pestles specifically have long, rich histories. Trying to do as much of the prep work without modern tools like food processors and microwaves is a good way to connect with the history and be more present in what you’re doing.

No matter what you grow, sowing the seeds with love and respect for the earth is essential to honoring the very thing that allows us to thrive. It’s the perfect way to show gratitude, especially during the harvest season.

Planning a Garden for the Waning Season

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ASTROLOGY

August 2020: Lake of Light

By Vivacia Ahwen

Look! the round-cheeked moon floats high, In the glowing August sky, Quenching all her neighbor stars, Save the steady flame of Mars.

White as silver shines the sea, Far-off sails like phantoms be, Gliding o'er that lake of light, Vanishing in nether night. ~~ “August Moon” from The Poems of Emma Lazarus, Volume I: Narrative, Lyric, and Dramatic (1888)

W

elcome to August, dear witches. Ready for an astrologically intense month? Of course you are. A good thing, too, because the Universe will be keeping you on your toes. Here’s what we’re looking at as we wind down the summer. There’s ups. There’s downs. There’s family bonding. There’s uncomfortable infatuation.

There’s delicious bread. There’s fire and brimstone.

Heck, there’s even sort of dragons.

success, and cultural hierarchy— the opposition of Mercury in Cancer provides some much-needed balance. It’s the right time to work on communication and ask for exactly what we need.

Try a little tenderness.

Meanwhile, we’re all celebrating. Lughnasadh, a.k.a. Lammas (“Loaf Mass”). Time to eat, drink, and be merry! You’ll find all kinds of creative ways to celebrate within these glossy pages of August Witchology Magazine. First crops of the year are being harvested. Loaves of bread are being baked. Crafts are being crafted. Go to your local farmers’ markets and co-ops to support our devoted organic agriculturalists. Focus on kitchen and earth magic today and tonight. Embrace the upcoming bounty of late summer and no apologies for second helpings—Feast on, witches.

Have you ever seen a sturgeon? In the summer, one can sit on the banks of brackish rivers or lakes and watch sturgeons put on quite a show, leaping, wiggling, slithering, diving through the cool waters, one after the other. They’re far larger and mightier than they appear on nature specials as sturgeons are extra special monsters. Should you happen to be out canoeing and encounter such a beast, you’ll find his or her sheer strength humbling. A summer evening of busy sturgeons is like an oversized moat full of nimble, swimming dragons. They are awe-inspiring, terrifying, ugly, yet somehow beautiful. Kind of like August 2020.

The Full Sturgeon Moon heads our way on August 3, and it’s going to slap us like a sturgeon’s spiny tail. August’s “silver lady” is also known as the Corn Moon, and makes for a decent segue into talking about what may perhaps be the tastiest time of year: that magical first harvest.

August 2: Sun in Leo square Uranus in Taurus. The upside to the inevitable tension brought about by this square is the irresistible surge of intention to overcome new challenges. Slow and steady Taurus keeps us persistent in efforts to finish tasks at hand. Uranus is a catalyst for upheaval, but you take it all in stride.

Hello, Lughnasahd. Have a seat next to Panoma (August 13) and Vulcanalia (August 23).

Please pass us some warm, crusty bread, early apples, and farm-fresh sweet butter.

August 3: Full Moon in Aquarius. All kinds of surprises today and any sense of normalcy are challenged yet again. However, unconventional behaviors and a ripple of rebellion bring about a more satisfactory result than tried-and-true approaches. Throw caution to the wind. Mercury in Cancer opposite Saturn in Capricorn makes you feel particularly vulnerable regarding family relationships. Don’t give in to fears or anxiety.

August 1: Mercury in Cancer opposite Pluto in Capricorn. While Pluto in Capricorn maintains our current astrological status quo of collective social chaos – redefining the meaning of power, 16

ASTROLOGY August 5: Mercury enters Leo. Let out your leonine roar, because people are listening to you.

Mercury in Leo makes it easier to send a clear message and resolve some miscommunication that may have occurred under the Sturgeon Moon’s influence. Mars in Aries square Jupiter in Capricorn brings in all kinds of fire energy. Strike while the iron is hot. A fine day for self-promotion and considering alternative sources of earned income.

are distracted, but with co-creating new guidelines and approaches to a problem, success is inevitable.

Keep a stiff upper lip. Tonight you can treat yourself to an ugly cry in private.

August 13: Mars in Aries square Pluto in Capricorn. Another day when energy and tempers are running high. With Mars and his in-your-face aggressiveness and Pluto’s seething power behind the scenes, things are going to get messy. Throw in the influence of bossy Aries, who wants demands met at once, and the stage is set for some hardcore drama. You aren’t required to engage, so keep yourself busy and bite your tongue if you’re tempted to make a snappy retort to a rude question. Kick up some positive energy, instead!

Today is the Roman festival of Pomona, Goddess of apples and orchards, so use that as an excuse to “treat yo’ self.” If you can’t do some early fruit picking, buy a big ol’ bag of apples, bake a pie, and cast a love spell if the spirit moves you. Or cut an apple in half horizontally to make a lovely pentacle stamp for an impromptu art project.

August 7: Venus enters Cancer. Rest easy; you can have your cake and eat it, too! Make time and space for both romantic and familial love. It’s all about creating balance. A good night to stay in with our nearest and dearest.

August 10: Mercury in Leo square Uranus in Taurus. Feeling stuck in the murk of your own thoughts? Getting an urge to break away from the crowd? Need an adventure? You’re feeling feisty, no doubt. If you can find an affordable outdoor activity to burn off some of that energy, do so. Go for a hike, rent a kayak, or just take a long drive with the music cranked and see where the road takes you. There’s fun to be had even while social distancing. Don’t forget your mask and hand sanitizer, since you’ll be making several stops along the way.

August 15: Uranus retrograde in Taurus is a nononsense formation, and it will be packing a punch between now and January 1, 2021. Whenever Uranus gets pulled into the picture, it’s like a bolt of lightning hitting the same place twice. Energy abounds. Couple that with the stubborn stalwartness of Taurus, and we’re looking at some universal bulldozing. Put on your hard hat; the road’s under construction for a long time. You seek financial freedom, and there are radical new developments you’d like to incorporate into your career. Be the thunder.

August 11: Vesta enters Cancer. You feel compelled to go all out to assist family members in need or crisis. Please avoid absorbing others’ negative energy today. Psychic vampires are creeping around under this aspect. You can help ease your fellow humans’ suffering without taking on their pain as your own. It’s all about boundaries.

August 16: Sun in Leo trine Mars in Aries. Be ready to put out little fires everywhere. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Tempers are running high, and everyone is trying to outdo one another due to a cosmic megadose of ambition and all-around feistiness. Take things as they come, and check your own aggressive tendencies at the door. Today’s a big bowl of three-alarm chili, so make sure to have a metaphorical scoop of sour cream on hand to cool things down.

August 12: Saturn quintile Chiron. A bittersweet kind of day. While Saturn tries his darnedest to bring in some kind of structure and organization, Chiron ain’t having it. You may be tempted to challenge an authority figure (or perceived authority figure) when a better approach would be to repeat what you’ve already explained in an easier-to-follow fashion. Working together with others proves challenging, as your heart and mind

August 2020: Lake of Light 17

ASTROLOGY August 17: Mercury in Leo trine Mars in Aries and Sun conjunct Mercury in Leo. Thank the Goddess communication has improved since yesterday; that was a rough one. While bosses always be bossin,’ at least they’re listening to you. If you have an important email to write that packs a punch, this afternoon is when to compose it. In creative endeavors, write a thorough outline of your potential project from start to finish. Your future self will thank you as you put the finishing touches on a masterpiece.

other time of the year. Wear earth tones, shake out your hair, and remember that less is more when it comes to make-up or accessories. The coming month is a fine time to revive healthy habits you may have abandoned over the lazy, crazy days of summer—stock up on vitamins, supplements, and medicinal teas.

August 23: Roman Festival of Vulcanalia. Virgo season is all about celebrating Mother Earth, but we’re still under the firey influence of Leo’s heat.

Know of any socially distant bonfire parties happening tonight? Go celebrate (masked and six feet apart, please.) Vulcan was the god of forges, anvils, and volcanoes, so carry a piece of something iron in your pocket or handbag. If you’re running low on goofer dust, it’s an excellent evening to replenish. What? You don’t have a jar of goofer in your magick box? It’s so useful for protection and binding spells, so make up a batch.

You’ll find lots of “formulas” online, but here’s my favorite recipe: • Charcoal, graphite, iron/rust (here’s where all those nails you’ve been finding come in handy) • Black peppercorns • Sea salt • Sulfur powder • Dried rosemary • Dried holy basil • Feather • Small bone • Black wax shavings • Dirt.

August 18: Venus in Cancer sextile Uranus in Taurus. This formation rolls out the red carpet for creativity and artistic expression. You’re feeling confident and enjoy marching to the beat of your own drummer. Wear something out of the ordinary and gracefully accept the compliments rolling in. Conversations are scintillating. Whackedout theories kind of make sense. Originality abounds. Everyone’s sex drive is off the charts tonight, so don’t be afraid to feed the beast. There’s electricity in the air.

August 19: New Moon in Leo. As with every new moon, it’s a time for fresh starts and inviting new personal growth in your life. Under her influence, you’ll enjoy a fresh burst of creativity, as well as a rush of compassion for all humanity. Give in to those kind urges when you feel the desire to help out a brother or sister in spirit because your authentic self is nudging you in that direction.

Listen to your heart. Generosity is the name of the game.

Use a purified, charged jar. When not using your powder, wrap the container in a dark fabric.

August 20: Mercury enters Virgo. You’ve got the gift of gab today, and your silver-tongue works wonders when trying to get others to do your bidding. Having said that, remember that we’ve all got the same OS programmed on our internal hard drives, so beware of flattery and manipulation under this formation. Your interpretive skills are spot on, and all answers you seek lie in the details.

Read the fine print.

Traditionally, the dirt is taken from a graveyard, but I’ve found magick to go awry when I’ve used “borrowed earth,” so have taken to gathering soil from crossroads, instead. Keep your intentions positive, stay grounded, and when you charge, use words of kindness and protection.

If you don’t have all the ingredients, just wing it.

Get creative. Make it your own. Guard your sacred space with no apologies.

August 22: Sun enters Virgo. Do you feel pretty?

Oh, so pretty? Well, it’s Virgo season, babies, so your natural beauty comes shining through like no

August 2020: Lake of Light 18

ASTROLOGY August 24: Mars in Aries square Saturn in Capricorn. Like the queen of pop sings, “Express yourself!” Sometimes the right words are elusive, and under this planetary aspect, you may find yourself struggling. Since your lust for life (and ahem, other things) is intense today, it’s worth putting in the time to say what you mean and mean what you say.

temptation abounds. Just enjoy the sexy feeling.

Channel some of that energy into your magical practice, and revel in the sheer beauty that is you.

August 31: Moon sextile Mars. What can we expect when Aquarius and Aries are working in harmony? Faith, willpower, determination, courage, and pretty persuasion is right at your fingertips.

Use today for truth-seeking. Sit down with a journal and write a list of goals for September. Our bedazzled night sky is the limit. Fly high.

August 25: Mercury in Virgo trine Uranus in Taurus. Your intuition is spot on today. Rather than just pulling one tarot card in the morning, do a full spread. Your psychic ability is off the charts, and The Divine is pretty darn chatty if you want to lend an ear to that wisdom. The solution to a problem that seemed insurmountable to you yesterday becomes crystal clear now.

With Venus in Cancer opposite Jupiter in Capricorn, you give yourself permission to hope, to wish, to dream. You desire more security and safety, and under this aspect influence, the tides begin to turn.

Vivacia Ahwen is a witch, astrologer, published romance author, tarot reader, and artist. You can connect with her on Twitter @sheraprincess or at her blog Msvivacia.wordpress.com.

August 27: Venus in Cancer trine Neptune in Pisces. Today’s keywords are romance, family, inspiration, and dreams. Just do it.

August 29: Mercury in Virgo trine Jupiter in Capricorn. A day of interpersonal connection when opposites attract, whether it be in love or business. A day when random acts of kindness are plentiful is like a refreshing glass of water on a hot, dry day. It’s okay to be optimistic, even in these turbulent times. Making plans for the future is an act of faith in humanity and in The Powers That Be. Consider joining an online class to challenge yourself and make personal connections.

August 30: Venus in Cancer opposite Pluto in Capricorn. Mercury in Virgo opposite Neptune in Pisces. Ready or not, here it comes: an intense new infatuation which isn’t remotely based in reality.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t dream, as well as work on your flirtation skills. While sexual energy is off the charts, today’s not necessarily about a love connection, so don’t get obsessive. If you or the object of your desire is attached, you’ll have to make an extra effort to keep it in your pants, since August 2020: Lake of Light 19

August Astrology Correspondences Tarot: Strength Elements: Fire Deities: Lugh, Tailtiu, Vulcan, Pamona, Freyr Stones: Ruby, amber, tiger eye, peridot Plant Magick: Basil, catnip, chamomile, sunflower, arnica, honeysuckle Found Treasures: Chip of porcelain, rusty nail, eggshell, noisemaker of some kind Colors:Â Yellow, gold, violet, deep orange Affirmation: I am lion / hear me roar / I lead my pride / I guard my door

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August’s Moon is the Corn,

Red, Sturgeon, or Holly moon; perfect for

spells relating to rebirth, abundance, prosperity, and renewal

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Honoring Dionysus and the First Harvest

By Karla Michelle Freeling

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picture-perfect "wine country," akin to the worldfamous Napa Valley, California. While I was there, I visited twenty-something vineyards, quickly realizing they all had something in common: Everyone talked about the importance of a successful first harvest and what that meant for their business. By the time I left, I had convinced two businesses to set out offerings (in the form of fruit) to Dionysus and ask him to bless their crops.

ughnasadh or Lammas is the first harvest festival of the year, with the second one being Mabon and the third and final being Samhain. As I sit here writing this, I cannot believe we are already halfway between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox. With everything going on in the world, and the months spent indoors, it somehow still feels like March to me.

Despite the best efforts of 2020 to set me back, I am not only excited for the upcoming harvest season, but I have never been more ready.

This year, I am thinking differently: I do not see Dionysus as a god who just blesses the physical harvest of plants or crops. I don't need him to bless my non-existent vineyard. Instead, I plan on honoring him and asking him to help me cultivate other things. Much of what I do involves my intent and how I conceptualize the influence of the gods and goddesses I honor. That being said, it is wise to stick to the overarching dominion of your chosen deity.

Lammas is a time to: • • • •

Acknowledge all you have accomplished Perform lunar and solar rites Free yourself from what no longer serves you Transform

This year I will be setting intentions throughout August and September, and using my altar to honor the Gods and a conduit through which to channel my intent.

In the case of Dionysus, one could ask him to cultivate a number of things, from which they hope to harvest a substantial yield. Those plump, succulent grapes could take the form of a relationship you are trying to mend or a business partnership you want to succeed. Think of it in the form of a result, and ask him to bless the metaphorical vineyard that nourishes and feeds your relationship, your partnership, among other life aspects. If your intent is clear and aligns with Dionysus's true nature, he may bestow his blessing upon you, ensuring your earnest efforts are successful. Try setting out a fruit bowl and ask him to help you; but don't limit yourself to that which is written in books. Connect with him the right way, and your fields will always bear fruit.

Last year I did an article on "Creating an Altar for Lughnasadh." This year we take it a step further, focusing on using your altar to honor Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and intoxication (Roman name: Bacchus). In addition to wine and intoxication, Dionysus represents winemaking, grape cultivation, fertility, ritual madness, theater, and religious ecstasy. However, honoring Dionysus does not mean you have to get drunk on wine, conceive a child, act in a Broadway show, and farm grapes.

You absolutely can, but that's not what I am going for this month. Last summer, I spent June and July in Blenheim, New Zealand. Blenheim is the

Karla Michelle Freeling is a devout Pagan witch and a working mother in the military. Her passion is to create one of a kind florals and crystals that pay homage to the Gods. Connect with her on Instagram @spellboundarrangements or on Etsy.com/shop/spelboundarangements 22

@migfoto 23

UNDERSTANDING THE DARK GODDESS

By Frances Billinghurst

Who is the Dark Goddess, and why is she important in our modern lives?

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t is common these days for only one aspect of the Dark Goddess to be acknowledged – that of the Crone – but even then, she is often perceived as some kindly “grandmother” figure.

Oya, and Scathach are all classified as “mothers,” yet their love tends to resemble tough love as they often reveal to us things we wish not to accept.

Then there are those Goddesses who cannot fit into any of these categories, and those whose classification as “dark” may come as somewhat of a surprise. For example, Demeter, the Greek Grain Mother, almost destroyed the world when she went into mourning for her beloved Kore, which could be seen as “dark.” Isis, the Great Egyptian Goddess (another “mother”), showed her darker side when she poisoned Ra in order to gain his magical powers.

So when we call to her – “Come Crone, come Dark Goddess,” it is little wonder that when Baba Yaga appears with her gnashing teeth and disheveled hair, we run shrieking for the hills. If anything, the Dark Goddess teaches us that life is not “sugar and spice.”

She is our reality check.

The Crone, Hag, Wise Woman. These terms are commonly associated with the Dark Goddess, the Keeper of the Cauldron of Knowledge, and the Holder of the Keys to the Sacred Mysteries.

However, she also forces us not only to acknowledge but also to embrace our demons. We pigeonhole her as Baba Yaga, Cerridwen, and the Cailleach. Hekate and the Morrighan still find themselves added to this group of Goddesses despite historical evidence stating otherwise.

The truth is that there is really no such thing as an explicitly “dark” or even a “light” aspect of deity – Goddess or otherwise. What we refer to as “dark” or “light” are aspects to their nature that we are either comfortable with or not.

When talking about the Dark Goddess, Jungian psychology is never too far away. “Dark” represents the repressed or ignored “shadow” aspect of our consciousness. As Demeter George points out, it is often our conditioning that shapes our interpretation of the Dark Goddess and what she represents:

When we pigeonhole her into the relatively modernized concept of the Goddess being triple in nature, this is often when problems start to arise.

Many of the Goddesses who are deemed as “dark” actually do not fit into the Crone/Wise Woman description.

“Through cultural conditioning we have inherited negative and false images of the Dark Goddess, the dark aspect of the feminine. Distorted images of the Goddess include ‘bitch queen,’ ‘outcast daughter,’ ‘fallen woman,’ ‘terrible mother,’ ‘wicked witch,’ ‘wicked queen or stepmother,’ ‘domineering mother in law,’ ‘bag lady,” ugly hag’….”

The late Shekhinah Mountainwater identified with a “Dark Maiden,” the enchantress, the sorceress, and seductress. It is here that we find Persephone, Sekhmet, Morgan le Faye, Pele, and Lilith, amongst other names. All of these Goddesses tend to dispel any perception that Maiden Goddesses are innocent and naïve.

Matomah Alesha offers an interpretation from a more historical perspective: “She is a genetic, emotional, spiritual archetype that resides in all humanity. She is often pushed away or suppressed, but she is never quite conquered or overcome. She is the black orb, the place where all of us collectively depend, emerge, and return to.

This is symbolized as the cosmos, the dark earth, the unconscious body-mind, the world of the undead, the genetic mother Lucy, and Africa. She is all of these things and so much more.”

The probably most terrifying aspect of the Dark Goddess, the one we do our best to ignore, is that of the “Dark Mother,” she who creates, destroys only to create again through her power of transformation.

We are encouraged to consider mothers as natural nurturers, who offer comfort when the world seems to be against us. Goddesses such as Kali Ma, Macha, 24

Yet that is what she teaches us: Step beyond your comfort zone.

Alesha goes on to state that the word “dark,” when relating to the Goddess, should be considered as a form of energy that has the power, given the right circumstance, to change its shape into illuminating light. These colors change and alter to reflect the ever-aspiring consciousness and its ever-expanding reality. They are extensions of the darkness that gives birth to light and are liken to rainbows, pastels in the sky, and iridescent stars twinkling in the waters.

When we summon the courage to open ourselves up to the Dark Goddess’s teachings, we realize that for us to appreciate the light, we must come from a place of darkness. This darkness is not in the sense of “evil” or foreboding, but in the sense of emptiness, the void, yet which is a containment of all. The Dark Goddess is like the night’s sky, and her Mysteries are the limitless volume of stars that shine despite the increasing amount of “light pollution” of our modern world.

The Dark Goddess is also the story of humanity that intimidates the streamline mind of commerce and ego-identity. However, within that story is a great spiritual mystery, a hidden truth which must be grasped for the whole story to be completely understood.

To truly accept and embrace our own self as perfect, we need to come face to face with the Dark Goddess. We need to find the courage to lift the veil and see what actually lies within because through all her guises; she reflects all aspects within our own selves.

Working with the Dark Goddess calls for truth.

She projects images of us that we often do not wish to acknowledge, let alone accept. She challenges us to break free of conformity, of our past, and to step beyond our comfort zone. She was with us at the beginning of time – even before time itself for she is its creator. It is she who greets us at the end of our days when we return to her.

Since 2006 I have been running workshops on working with the Dark Goddess as a way to identify and work with the shadow self. These workshops have also formed the foundation of my forthcoming book, Encountering the Dark Goddess: A Journey into the Shadow Realms, due for release in April 2021 through Moon Books. I also will be offering a month-long online sadhana (spiritual journey) in October 2020. Details of the sadhana can be found on through the Temple of the Dark Moon (Templedarkmoon.com/training-available/ encountering-the-dark-goddess/.

Feminist writer, Vicki Noble, in an article for Woman of Power magazine, commented that: “The Dark Goddess is no lightweight. She promises trouble, an end to form as we have known it, the death of the ego. She is impersonal, yet she erupts from deep within the human psyche with unexpected passion and rage. She is transformation in the extreme, and her power is regenerative and healing. Like a trickster, she frees us from the trappings that bind us to our tiny personal worlds; like the knife she cuts away all that is unessential and not truthful.”

Frances Billinghurst is a prolific writer with an interest in folklore, mythology, and ancient cultures. Her articles have appeared in various publications including Llewellyn’s Witch’s Calendar, The Cauldron, Unto Herself: A Devotional Anthology to Independent Goddesses, Naming the Goddess, Witchcraft Today: 60 Years On and The Faerie Queens: A Collection of Essays Exploring the Myths, Magic and Mythology of the Faerie Queens. She is the author of Dancing the Sacred Wheel: A Journey through the Southern Sabbats and In Her Sacred Name: Writings on the Divine Feminine, and the editor of Call of the God: An Anthology Exploring the Divine Masculine within Modern Paganism. Frances’s long awaited Encountering the Dark Goddess; A Journey into the Shadow Realms will be released in April 2021 (through Moon Books), with Contemporary Witchcraft: Foundations for a Magical Life to be made available later that year.

The Dark Goddess represents the unknown, change, and even death. She challenges our reality, what we consider to be “normal”, and forces us to move beyond compliancy. It is no wonder the Dark Goddess is shunned, ignored, or even perceived through rose-tinted glasses by our modern culture. While she can be found in the shadowy underworld, she is also the creatrix of the cosmos and earth itself. She is enticingly wild and untamed, yet as a siren warned about in the tales of ancient mariners, she can lure us out into the ocean of uncertainty only to find ourselves beyond our comfortable depths.

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Understanding the Dark Goddess

The Tiny Spellbook

Lammas Kitchen Witchery: Corn Braids

By Sarah Justice

Corn has a long history of being used and celebrated, and for good purpose: The crop is widely available and feeds countless people. This has contributed to its standing as a sacred crop for thousands of years, with the Corn Mother being one of the most revered goddesses. It is also considered a deity gift.

Because of this close spiritual connection, corn is used for many nonculinary purposes, including divination and connecting to Spirit, and its colors have elemental correspondences: Yellow for north, white for east, red for south and blue for west. In fact, using corn alone in our Lammas practices would give us a complete ritual.

But corn’s spiritual use isn’t limited to the kernel; the strong husks are not to be forgotten. They provide protection for the corn so that it can grow, a fundamental part of its fruition. The symbolism is no doubt part of why corn is used in protection spells. We may recycle these husks or throw them away, but kitchen witchery is all about using what is available and being practical in our magick. So we can use the husks to craft a protective charm that connects us to the Corn Mother and to Spirit in general.

For those purposes, a corn braid is perfect. A corn braid offers protection, with the braid wrapped in a circle or strung on a tree outside the home. For an added Lammas benefit, we can intertwine herbs and plants into the braid to set the intention for the rest of the year, which is one of the goals of the sabbat.

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To start crafting your braid, stack the husks in piles of four and slit the husks in three parts vertically. This crafts long, half-inch strands that are perfect for braiding. Tie together nine of these strands at the top and secure between the knees so that you can begin braiding. Taping or tying the beginning of the braid to a surface may do better for some.

Begin the process of braiding, using three strands in each braid grouping. If you would like to add in stalks of lavender, berry leaves, tomato leaves, or your own favorite plant stems, you can add these to the groupings. At this length, you will be able to fold the husks into about two or three braids before you need more husks. Before you reach the last braid, add more husk to each pile. This will mean that the top parts of the husk do stick out of the braid. Essentially, you are creating a French braid, where you add more husk to the braid as you move down.

Continue with this process, reflecting on the year and setting your intention for the rest of it. You can also share gratitude for the sustenance of the harvest. Since the braiding is similar to cord magick, weave in cords with bells if you like for added protection and creativity.

When you reach your desired length, tuck one of the groupings in the middle and use the two groupings on the side to tie a knot. Incant “If the Mother will it, so mote it be,” to seal the spell.

You can use an “S” hook to hang the braid on a tree, or you can wrap it into a circle and secure it to a wreath with cord or bobby pins. We prefer the carefree nature of the braid hanging from a branch. No matter, keep in mind that your corn husk will need air movement around it to dry effectively, and it will shrink a little as the husk loses its moisture. This is OK; it will still retain the braid, but remember this as you braid tightly.

Check-in on the braid periodically to ensure it’s still strong, adding in any additional bits of vegetation to fill in the voids, a task that Mother Earth performs for us all of the time.

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INTERVIEW

Interview with Meg Rosenbriar & Louisa Blackthorn, Owners of

Witch With Me

Who are the witches behind Witch With Me? We are Meg Rosenbriar and Louisa Blackthorn. We met on Instagram towards the end of 2019 and immediately hit it off. Meg is based in Connecticut, and Louisa is based in the U.K. We are both fulltime moms, and we have two boys each, which is one of the reasons why we connected so quickly.

Although we have only known each other for a short time, it feels much, much longer. We are both writers in our day jobs and are accustomed to juggling a thousand things at any one time!

What are your goals with your work?

One of our biggest goals is to create a safe space for witches to connect and learn from each other.

We often hear that people are afraid to come out of the broom closet because they don't feel supported, so to hold space for the community to grow and develop their craft while connecting with new friends is an honor. It is our intention to lift as many witches as we possibly can by giving them a voice and a platform to be seen and heard.

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INTERVIEW In addition to the platform at Witch With Me, we have developed an online Academy for teachers from within the community to share their knowledge, and created a page called Witch With Books to shine a spotlight on our community authors. We have also created Coven Market, a platform to showcase the amazing products and services that witchy businesses offer.

Meg

What advice do you have for our readers?

Study as much as you can but use the knowledge you gain to craft your own path. And always strive to lift other witches.

What's next for your business?

We have just finished collecting the results from the Witch Census 2020, which we hope to process and release to the community by Samhain 2020.

This is an exciting insight into modern witchcraft and will hopefully provide a fascinating look into how it develops every year. We are also in the process of arranging an exciting online festival for Samhain 2020 called Gather the Witches. This event will feature workshops from presenters such as Lilith Dorsey, Laura Tempest Zakroff, J. Allen Cross, Jamie Della, and Annywyn Avalon, as well as exciting performances from bands and acts from around the world.

Louisa

Can you tell us about both of your practices?

Meg is a Celtic hedgewitch who uses a lot of tarot, herbs, and energy magick in her work. She also has a strong focus on healing, both in terms of the self and on a global scale, and has written a book called The Healing Power of Witchcraft, which is coming out in October 2020. Louisa is an intuitive green witch who uses candles, flowers, and herbs and is learning to connect with the plant spirit. She has just started studying the traditional path, particularly the one practiced in her local rural community.

We are also hoping to partner with Witchology, which we are extremely excited about!

To connect with Witch With Me: Census: Witchwithme.com/witch-census-2020 Gather the Witches: Witchwithme.com/ gatherthewitches Witch With Books: Witchwithme.com/witch-withbooks Academy: Witchwithme.com/the-academy-2 Coven Market: @coven.market Meg's book: Megrosenbriar.com/ thehealingpowerofwitchcraft Meg's Insta: @witchoftheshoreline Lou's Insta: @thewitchesstone

What was the inspiration for Witch With Me? This project initially started out as a simple photo challenge, but we quickly realized that there was an opportunity to bring everyone together by providing a space for witches to connect with each other. We are both firm believers in destigmatizing witchcraft and making it accessible for everyone, and a community sharing platform seemed like the best way to achieve both of these aims.

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Creatrix of Plant Spirit Magic; Tugce is an artist, illustrator, and tattooist, a poison-path witch, whose heart is happiest when she’s wandering through the woods. She can be found on her Instagram @heartaches.ofthemoon

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How to use Amethyst During the Harvest

@marychka

By Katiee McKinstry

useful. If you feel a little unstable, like you are more off the rails than usual, amethyst can help you to reconnect and ground yourself. If you perhaps simply need some restorative energy, this purple stone is your new best friend.

As the summer days begin to wane, we start to see the results of the seeds planted earlier in the year.

One way to work with the changing energy this season is to work with minerals of the earth. To promote successful harvests, you can use crystals to energize and sustain you through meditations, manifestations, or to use in offerings.

So, where should you put your new amethyst?

Amethyst can be placed anywhere in the home.

This is because the beautiful stone will help raise the vibration in any location you put it. Put it on your bedside table to help uplift you throughout the day and night. When you connect to your highest self, you can reap your effort’s rewards, making amethyst the perfect contender for your practice during the first harvest.

One of the most popular crystals to use during Lughnasadh is amethyst. Whether you’re a new practitioner or an experienced one, you probably have some Amethyst in your collection, as it is one of the easiest crystals to find. Truly this commonplace stone is one of the best-kept secrets. You can get it practically at any crystal shop, yet it is one of the most powerful crystals out there! Amethyst has a deep purple or violet tone and is a part of the quartz family. Amethyst is believed to help you connect to your spirituality, and can assist with anxiety and digestion.

If you are are looking to live your life with more purpose, amethyst can is the crystal for you. Take time out of your daily routine to celebrate the harvest, embrace any changes, and honor the changing into autumn, where we continue to look inward. The summertime is dwindling, and we are entering autumn. Throughout your meditations or rituals, hold tight to amethyst to assist you, and have your own first emotional harvest of the year.

Amethyst is also a great stone for anyone with the sun sign of Pisces. Pisces personalities are very intuitive, often connecting to their third eyes during meditation, where amethyst can be very

Katiee is a writer, witch, and podcaster based outside Atlanta, GA. She’s a studying astrologer, tarot reader, and avid concert goer. You can connect with her on Instagram @rosecafletic or on her website: www.lifestartswithcoffee.com

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FEATURE

Vetch and Chrysoberyl

By Lunaria Gold

Vetch Herb Thickets of delicate climbing vines and clusters of purple and pink vetch flowers are a common, sometimes overlooked sight throughout summer. Despite growing wild alongside roads and over grassy meadows, vetch has been a reliable companion to humanity for thousands of years. It was one of the first domesticated crops, cultivated as a legume and ancient grain as far back as 10,000 years ago. Vetch could be ground into a flour, often providing important sustenance in times of famine, the resulting bread-of-vetch associated with humility and frugality.

Nowadays, vetch is largely cultivated as animal fodder. It is frequently left to grow in cultivated fields and used as mulch to enrich the soil for other crops. Its ability to absorb metals such as aluminum makes it useful in cleansing certain pollutants out of the ground. It is also a source of pollen for honey bees through the height of summer.

Vetch is bestowed with resilient and wholesome energy, its modest but graceful presence constantly at our side. It invites us to celebrate the small and simple life elements that nourish us daily, making our lives richer in their own gentle way.

Chrysoberyl Crystal Chrysoberyl is a crystal composed mainly of aluminum and beryllium, most often found in shades ranging from pale yellow to deeper greenish gold. Despite its name, meaning "golden spar," chrysoberyl is not related to the beryl family of minerals. It actually forms its own family, including several varieties. The most highly prized of all is the rare alexandrite, which features a dramatic change in color between emerald green and deep purple-red in different light types. Chrysoberyl's yellow variety can show a bright reflection called chatoyancy (or cat's eye effect) when polished smooth.

Cat's eye chrysoberyl is often named cymophane. The unique coloring of its finest examples is 'milk and honey' due to its rich, creamy golden tones.

Chrysoberyl crystals often grow in entwined, symmetrical arrangements called trillings, forming radiant six-sided stars or flowers. With a Mohs hardness of 8.5 on a scale of 10, chrysoberyl is among the hardest natural gems, between topaz and sapphire. Its unusual and visually mesmerizing properties make chrysoberyl a highenergy and exuberant stone, shining warmly with creativity and optimism.

Lunaria Gold is the owner and artist of Curioseum, a nature-inspired art, oracle, runes and tarot deck shop. She is also a writer and gemologist, unearthing eclectic and primal energies of the world through art, nature, and ancient history. You can connect with her on Instagram @lunaria_gold and her shop website Curioseum.etsy.com.etsy.com

By Lunaria Gold

Our Shamanic World: The Power of Plants

By Jennifer Lane

In a time of disconnect, Shamanism helps us to heal ourselves through a deep connection with the Earth. But how can we use the world’s healing power in our everyday lives?

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For many on the Shamanic path, we might reach these medicines by traveling to another realm through ‘journeying’ in a trance state. These trances can be created by different means, from certain plant tinctures (most notably ayahuasca) to rhythmic drumming.

We are all connected.

My personal leanings have always been towards green witchcraft and spending time in nature.

When I discovered Shamanism just over a year ago, I found it allowed me to strengthen my connection not only with trees and plants, but also to tap into the very spirit of the Earth. There is a very potent magick to be found there! I personally discovered a connection with the soil, the rocks, and the beautiful plants on my allotment in a much deeper way. This has been a blessing, especially in this strange, ‘unprecedented’ time of disconnection we currently find ourselves in.

Through studying Shamanism, I have discovered we live in an interconnected web of consciousness spanning many worlds, creatures, and beings.

Tapping into this web for healing feels so natural and free, and we all have this innate ability within ourselves. All it takes is a closer look at the world.

hen did you last sit outside and really made time for the earth beneath your feet? For those in the witchcraft community, this is a particularly common experience and helps us feel in tune with the beauty, shifts, and patterns of the seasons. We all know that witch who spends hours in their herb garden and has a favorite tree in the local park!

This love of nature also connects us with a millennia-old spiritual practice that has been forgotten by many: Shamanism.

What is Shamanism?

Shamanism has existed all across the world in many different forms. While the word ‘Shaman’ originally referred to the Tungus people from Siberia and Mongolia, it has come to represent all similar paths that commune with the Great Spirit.

In fact, over 99 percent of people who have ever walked this planet have practiced Shamanism in some form, with many anthropologists believing Shamanism to extend back 30,000 years.

At its very core, Shamanism is about healing ourselves and finding a deep connection with the Great Spirit that makes up everything in the world. Shamanism offers us the chance to travel between different spiritual realms to seek medicine for ourselves and the people around us. This medicine comes in many forms, and we can commune with animals, plants, and crystals to ask for their particular remedies. However, many of the medicines we require in our daily lives can we found right here in this world, maybe even in our backyard.

Falling in love with the Plant People

In green witchcraft, my personal path, we are taught to respect all living things and thank plants or trees whenever we take a leaf or branch from nature. It’s likely that this would have been a large part of daily life for pre-agricultural, huntergatherer people who practiced Shamanism. Every living thing existed in harmony with each other.

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For this exercise, you don’t need to sit with an actual sunflower – you might have a picture of a sunflower or some sunflower seeds – so long as you connect with the plant and hold it in your mind’s eye.

Our society, as we know, it exists in a hierarchy with human beings at the top, but this idea of humankind as separate in mind and spirit from other species is a relatively new invention. Our ancestors would have lived in a world where trees had spirits, plants helped to heal, and the rocks on the ground held ancient wisdom. In some Native American cultures, trees were called the Standing People, the plants where the Plant People and the rocks would be the Stone People – all equal to human life.

This is something we’ve lost today, but as we move into a time of being more mindful and environmentally conscious, many people are looking to get back in touch with the world beneath our feet. Getting in tune with, and actually speaking to, the incredible plants around us can add a whole new layer of connection.

But how?

Each plant has its own unique medicine, and they’re all around us! We might have these healing plants growing in our homes or placed on our altars. For example, lavender is perfect for inflammatory issues, and for relieving anxiety and insomnia. To build self-confidence, speak to yarrow, and break down emotional barriers that make you devalue your self-worth.

To receive these medicines, you can merge with the plant itself.

How to merge with sunflower: • Find a quiet place to sit with your sunflower (or sunflower image), breathe deeply, and slip into meditation.

• As if you are reaching out to your hand, extend your mind to touch the sunflower’s consciousness. How does it feel to you? Is the sunflower a welcoming or hostile presence?

Gently tell the sunflower your intention of connecting with it for plant medicine.

• When you feel comfortable that sunflower is ready, use all your senses to feel out the sunflower. What does it smell like? What does it sound like as the wind touches its petals? What is its energy like?

• Now that you have a feel for the sunflower, begin to merge your mind with it. Find yourself as one with it. What is it like to stand tall and proud as a sunflower? It is time to feel the sun’s energy on your face and ask for any medicine that sunflower wants to bring you. Let this power fill you.

• How do you feel now? Lighter? Happier? More confident? Softly, ease yourself away from the sunflower, and thank it for its healing. Perhaps the sunflower had a message for you that you want to write down in your journal.

A Guided Meditation for Shamanic Plant Healing

It may take a few tries to get the hang of this but, once you do, try it with any plant, tree, or healing stone. Research the medicine you feel like you need, whether it’s for a physical ailment or an emotional wound – and ask the plant to send you what you need.

Every time you do this, you are not only healing your body and soul; you are healing your connection with the Earth.

Communing and merging with healing plants is simpler than you think. You don’t have to be outside in a field of wildflowers; you can do it from your own bedroom. Also, we don’t always need to ingest plants to feel their power.

Let’s take the sunflower. Sunflowers are traditional symbols of happiness and positivity, a medicine we all welcome from time to time!

Jennifer Lane is a nature writer and green witch based in the north of England. She has written for Vogue, BBC, and RSPB and is currently studying with the Three Ravens College of Therapeutic Shamanism. Jennifer is a birdwatcher, hiker, yogi, and Reiki practitioner. Find her on Instagram @thegreenwitchwriter or visit jenniferlanewrites.com

Our Shamanic World: The Power of Plants 35

The Prayer Tie Spell: Giving Back for the Gift of Harvest

By Genie Fae

A

s the hottest days of summer are upon us and we are wrapped up in collecting our harvest to prepare for the coming winter, it is easy to forget to give thanks and include our ancestors in our workings. Our ancestors gifted us with the knowledge of green witchery, planting and cultivating, and the medicinal uses of the plants that nourish us through the winter. As the wheel turns to Lammas and we move closer to Samhain, it is important that we share our bounty with them, and thank them for the knowledge they have collected and shared with us.

I’m sharing with you a lesson in reciprocity my Clan Mother taught to me: the Prayer Tie. This is a simple way to send your thanks, prayers, and messages to your ancestors while also including a small gift. Every Native American tribe makes these a bit differently, but the idea is largely the same between us. This is the method used by my tribe, the Abenaki of Northern Vermont.

Ideally, we would use dried herbs we gathered during our harvest for this to share our bounty. But, intention is key, so any herbs will do.

Materials: • Piece of cloth, approximately 4x4 inches • Red is traditional, and represents the height of summer, but any color will do, especially if you want something with a different meaning.

• Offering herbs.

For herbs, the most traditional offering herb is tobacco. However, this is about intention, and you can use any herb that you feel represents your intentions or the ancestor you are praying to. For Lammas, I like to use cornmeal, as it is a sacred food that is represented by this day, used as offerings, and is safe for children to use.

Other herbs appropriate for the season include wheat or oats, pumpkin seeds, cedar, goldenrod, Queen Anne’s lace, basil, hops, rose, red sandalwood, or mint.

Adding a pinch of dragon’s blood is also a good “spell enhancer” if you have it on hand.

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@FotoHelin

• Optional Crystals: amethyst, lapis lazuli, clear quartz, rose quartz, or angel aura are great for ancestor work. For Lammas crystals specifically, try citrine, carnelian, tiger’s eye, or moonstone.

• String or ribbon, long enough to knot and hang up

7. Cup the finished prayer tie in your hand or place it on your forehead and whisper or think your prayers into it. This can be a simple “thank you,” or spilling your heart out to a passed family member. You could use your “Mind’s Eye” to envision the ancestor(s) while you say your prayer.

Instructions:

8. Hang this in a sacred space. Traditionally this would be hung on tree branches or in a place @FotoHelin that has strong sentimental meaning to you or your passed ancestors, but you can also set it on your altar or in a window if you’re limited on space. I like to leave bread, cookies, cake, or wine offerings under the tree or in the sacred space as well to honor the ancestors.

1. Cut out a piece of fabric approximately 4x4 inches. It doesn’t have to be perfect and can be bigger or smaller depending on the size of the offering herbs you have available.

2. Place your herbs in the center of your cloth.

3. Pull up the four corners of your cloth and pull them together so the herbs sit in a little pouch near the center.

9. It’s important not to touch your prayer tie if you don’t have to once you put it up. If you see it fall outside, leave it if you can (if there’s no possibility of children accessing it if it’s full of tobacco). Animals will eat the contents and carry your message with them to the Earth. If you need to take it down for whatever reason, bury it or burn it outdoors so the smoke can reach your ancestors.

4. Close your sachet with your ribbon or string.

This is a vital part of the spell: sealing your intention using a little knot work.

Traditionally, you would wrap the ribbon around your sachet three times before tying it off, representing Mother Earth, Father Sky, and the Creator. Since this is an ancestor prayer though, I like to say the following chant along with my knot spell as I wrap the ribbon around the sachet:

10.After you finish your ritual, wash your hands or take a shower, or drink a full glass of water to replenish your energy, especially if this was emotionally exhausting for you.

Once to send my thanks Twice to send my love Thrice to send my honor To my ancestors above

Lammas is about giving thanks to all that we have been given during the harvest, and to give thanks to all of the people, past and present, which have helped us by giving us the knowledge of, and rewards of, nourishing our minds and bodies.

5. Knot and tie off your ribbon, but don’t cut it yet.

6. Optional: You can add feathers, charms and other adornments if you want to at this point. I generally only use biodegradable things if it’s going outside, in case animals eat it.

The Prayer Tie Spell: Giving Back for the Gift of Harvest

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38

STORY

LUGHNASADH:

A CHILDREN’S STORY

By Ellen Evert Hopman

The old Seannachie was making his rounds again, and as usual, he was on his way to the little thatched cottage where Fiona and her family lived. It was now high summer, mid-July, which was always a good time for a tale, because the crops had been planted but the harvest had not yet begun.

The days were long at this time of year and the Sun still shone even after supper was finished and all the dishes were put away. In the evenings, Fiona liked to sit on the little wall in front of the thatched cottage and watch the horses and carts go by. She always waved at them, whether she recognized the horses and riders or not. This evening she was thrilled to see the Seannachie making his way down the lane. Fiona noticed that he was carrying something new this time: a long shiny stick.

“Hullo!” Fiona cried as she ran to give him a hug. Fiona was so small she could only reach his legs so the Seannachie bent down to bring himself closer.

“What’s that you are carrying?” Fiona asked.

“This? Why, this is my Faery stick. It’s made from a Blackthorn tree. It brings me luck and protection everywhere I travel!” said the Seannachie.

Fiona’s eyes grew wide and round as copper pennies. The Seannachie was always full of surprises.

“Have you come to tell us another story?”

“Why, yes I have!” said the Seannachie. “It’s almost time for the reaping to begin, so I thought I would tell you a story about Lugh, the Great God of the harvest.”

You see, the Seannachie was one of a long line of storytellers, each the son of a storyteller, trained by his father and his grandfathers before him. Their lineage went all the way back to the ancient Druids.

It was the responsibility of the Druids and Bards to pass down the old tales because they had much wisdom hidden in them and were far too precious to be forgotten.

The Seannachie entered the house with Fiona dancing at his feet. Fiona’s Mamaí took his cloak and walking stick as Fiona’s Dadaí handed him a cool glass of apple cider. Fiona’s grandmother led him to his usual seat by the fire, and just as soon as he was settled, the neighbors started coming in. When everyone was comfortably seated, the Seannachie cleared his throat, took one more sip of cider, and began to spin his tale.

“It was the end of summer, a long, long, long time ago when the grain was yellow and already ripening in the fields but not yet ready to be cut…”

“You mean like now?” asked Fiona, who was seated on the floor gazing up at the Seannachie with excitement in her eyes.

“Shhhhh!” said Mamaí, in a loud whisper.

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STORY

The Seannachie continued; “Long, long, long ago, on a high summer evening just like this one, King Balor of the Evil Eye and his wife, Queen Cethlenn, gave birth to a baby girl and they named her “Ethlenn.” They were thrilled and very proud of the new baby, but a terrible prophecy was made about the newborn girl which declared that a child of Ethlenn’s would one day grow up to kill King Balor!

Now King Balor had to make a very hard decision. Should he allow Ethlenn to live and one day give birth to a child who would be his death? Or should he have Ethlenn killed so he himself could remain safe? Balor thought long and hard about it. It was a very difficult decision to make because the king and queen already loved their baby daughter deeply.

He finally decided what to do. He would seal Ethlenn in a tower of glass where she would want for nothing. She would have twelve serving women to tend to her every need and the twelve serving women would be under the strictest orders to never let Ethlenn see a man, or even hear one spoken of. Kept away from all human society apart from her serving women and her parents, Ethlenn would never marry, nor bear a child, nor be the cause of the death of her father.

King Balor’s plan was carried out and the tower was erected on Tory Island off the north-west coast of County Donegal, the most remote inhabited island of Ireland. Ethlenn grew healthy and strong and very beautiful, with raven-dark locks, teeth like pearls, and Moon-white skin.

At about the time Ethlenn attained adulthood, her father stole a magical cow. That cow was very large and very beautiful. She had white hair with green spots on it, and she gave unending streams of milk.

She belonged to a member of the Faery Tribe called the Tuatha dé Danann. Her owner was named Cian and he was furious over the loss of that cow!

Cian decided he had to do something about it, so he consulted with a Druidess of the Tuatha dé Danann named Biróg, who advised him to ransom his cow by stealing Balor’s most precious possession. Then she magically transported him to Ethlenn’s glass tower.

The moment Cian and Ethlenn set eyes on each other, they instantly fell in love. But Cian couldn’t stay for long, because he knew that would cause a war between his own tribe, the Tuatha dé Danann, and King Balor’s tribe, the Fomorians. But Cian promised Ethlenn that he would return for her as soon as he was able.

Nine months to the day later Ethlenn gave birth to triplets; one with hair like spun gold, just like Cian’s, and two with raven-dark locks, just like Ethlenn’ s. When King Balor heard the news, he flew into a rage and ran to the glass tower to tear the children away from their mother, because he had never forgotten the terrible prophecy that a child of Ethlenn’ s would bring about his own death.

King Balor wrapped each child in a blanket and then threw all three into the ocean, leaving their fate to the waves of the sea. King Balor had no idea that Manannán Mac Lir, the God of the Sea, was listening and watching. Manannán took pity on the children and raised a giant wave that swept the golden-haired child right into Cian’s arms. The second child, a raven-haired girl, transformed into a Selkie and she was the first of that race. The third child he changed into a Merman by giving him a fish tail, and that is how the first Mermaids were created.

LUGHNASADH: A CHILDREN’S STORY

40

STORY Cian called the golden-haired child “Lugh” and loved the boy above all things, because he looked just like Ethlenn, only with golden hair. Cian went looking for a nursemaid from his tribe to foster his son, and who should ask for the job but a mysterious stranger who was enveloped by a strange mist as he walked. The stranger showed himself to be a great warrior and poet, so Cian found him worthy and he handed Lugh over to him. That mysterious man was none other than Manannán Mac Lir, the Lord of the Sea! By the time Lugh grew to be a man, he had been very well trained by his foster parents and one day Manannán said it was finally time for him to find a place at the high king’s court. So, Lugh set off to make his way in the world and when he got to the gates of the high king’s court, he immediately asked to be let in.

“Who goes there?” asked the gate-keeper who was standing high above on a rampart, looking down.

“I am the greatest warrior in the land! Let me in!” said Lugh.

“Oh, go away.” said the gate-keeper. “We have the finest warriors at this court and we certainly don’t need you!” (The gate-keeper thought that Lugh was being rather cheeky and wanted to put him in his place.)

“I am also the finest gold-smith you will ever meet! Let me in!” Lugh exclaimed.

“We already have the greatest jewelers and blacksmiths and artists of all kinds within these walls. Go away! We don’t need you”, the gate-keeper replied.

“Well, I am also the greatest healer and Herbalist in the land. I can cure any sickness or injury!” said Lugh.

“We already have the most skillful Wise Women and Cunning Men you will ever meet,” said the gatekeeper. So, be gone!”

“I am the best Bard and the most brilliant poet!” said Lugh. “I deserve a place at the high court, so let me in!”

Now the gate-keeper was really getting impatient. He had never heard such an insistent, boastful, persistent youth. “We already have the wisest Druids, poets, and Sages at this court. WE DON’T NEED YOU! So please go away!” he declared firmly.

But Lugh kept right on, describing his talents as a magician, harpist, judge, historian, cup-bearer, sportsman, master of fidchell, and all of his other skills. But the gate-keeper just wouldn’t budge and the great oaken door remained firmly bolted.

Finally, when Lugh could not think of one more talent to boast of, he asked, “Do you have anyone in this court who can do ALL those things?”

Now that stumped the gate-keeper. He went very quiet for a moment, because he was thinking. At last he replied; “Alright, you win. We do not have anyone here who is skilled in EVERY art.” And slowly the heavy oaken gates parted and Lugh was let in.

LUGHNASADH: A CHILDREN’S STORY

41

STORY Lugh really was exactly as brilliant as he had claimed and eventually, the high king of the Tuatha de Danann, Nuada, passed his crown to him because Lugh was the worthiest champion in all the kingdoms.

One day Balor of the Evil Eye, Lugh’s own grandfather, arrived with his warriors to attack the very fort where Lugh had been made king. Lugh, who was now known as “Lugh of the Long Arm” because he could throw a spear so far and so accurately, rode out to defend the fort.

There at the front of the fray was King Balor, a fearful sight, with one red eye that shone from his forehead that cast a burning, deadly blaze onto his foes. Every warrior in the field was instantly struck dead by that terrible light except Lugh, who was armed with his enchanted spear, The Sleg of Assal, that was unbeatable in battle and struck like lightning. He also carried his mighty slingshot, and his sword, Fragrarach, that would force anyone it was pointed at to answer questions truthfully. He rode upon his mystical horse named Énbarrof the Flowing Mane, gifted to him by Manannán, that could gallop over both land and sea, and beside him ran his magical greyhound named Failinis that was invincible in battle, always caught its prey, and could change water into wine.

Lugh simply waited for his grandfather to blink and then slung his slingshot right into the center of Balor’s fearful eye, killing him instantly. Balor, of course, was king of the Fomorians. With Balor’s death, Lugh was the ruler of the Tuatha de Danann and the Fomorians too! And thus, was the old prophecy fulfilled.

After his own death, Lugh went to Tír na nÓg , the Land of Youth, to dwell, but he always comes back when he is needed. And this is why folk call on Lugh when they need strength and inspiration to perform any difficult task.”

“You mean like getting the whole harvest in?” Fiona blurted out as she just couldn’t keep quiet a minute longer.

“Exactly,” the Seannachie said.

The old storyteller had finished his tale. He wiped his forehead with a handkerchief from his pocket and took a long sip of cider. He had put all of his energy and enthusiasm into telling the story because he never wanted to disappoint the Great God Lugh, nor Manannán Mac Lir, whom he felt sure must be listening.

That night after Fiona was tucked in and kissed goodnight by her Mamaí, she lay awake imagining what it would be like to live in a tower of glass like Ethlenn did, and be able to lie in bed and look up to see the Moon and stars through the walls and the ceiling. And then she fell into a deep, dreaming sleep.

This story is from a yet-to-be-published children’s book about Pagan festivals by Ellen Evert Hopman. She is the author of a number of books; Secret Medicines from Your Garden – Plants for Healing, Spirituality and Magic, The Sacred Herbs of Spring, The Sacred Herbs of Samhain, The Real Witches of New England, A Legacy of Druids – Conversations with Druid leaders from Britain, the USA and Canada, The Priestess of the Forest trilogy of novels, and other volumes. She is the current Archdruid of Tribe of the Oak (Tuatha na Dara) www.tribeoftheoak.com, an international Druid Order based in New England. See her books and blog at www.elleneverthopman.com LUGHNASADH: A CHILDREN’S STORY

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IGNITING YOUR CREATIVITY IN THE KITCHEN

By Mike Sexton

A

s the first of the three harvest festivals, Lughnasadh (or Lammas) is a great time to dive into your creative side.

This is the time of the first harvest, which means a lot of bread is getting baked, and delicious meals are being made.

I’m a vegetarian, so that’s my Lughnasadh meal; if you’re a meat-eater, you can do the same with any dish you make, maybe a nice roast or a delicious stew. Research the ingredients you want to use and those you need to use to see how they can help you magickally. Then as you add each ingredient, say out loud what it’s for. @FotoHelin If you can’t share your magickal side in your home for whatever reason, then say what each ingredient is for in your head. It will work just as well.

Since these activities are also done connected to Lugh, who, among other things, is a god of creativity, you can incorporate this energy into your baking. Think beyond getting creative with your recipe; you can get creative with charging the bread with your magical intention too.

To show your appreciation for the first harvest, offer a portion of what you’ve made to the deity you honor. If you don’t honor a specific god or goddess, offer it to your ancestors, or the all-encompassing God and Goddess of Wicca.

You can also gift it to the spirits that share your land. Not sure which spirits? Research some of the local myths in your area to see what lore and beings may be sharing your space. This is a great way to build a relationship with the land spirits and the air, fire, and water spirits in your area. After all, since we often share our food and traditions with our loved ones, why not do the same for the spirits that inhabit your land and the air you breathe?

If you’re thinking of making a sweet bread, use fruits that connect with creativity. For instance, golden apples can be used in a pie or apple bread to help with creative prosperity and fertility. Perhaps as you stir the batter or knead the dough, you might see yourself coming up with more ideas that you can put into action.

See your intentions in your mind’s eye. Bless the items you add to also give you prosperity in other areas of life, like finances, emotions, relationships, and more. Each ingredient can be a magickal boost to you and your loved ones.

What I enjoy doing at Lughnasadh is creating a man-shaped loaf of bread. I offer the head of it to Lugh to provide me with abundance, creativity, and safety. I share the bread with those I am closest to, and even my dogs get a little nibble. I then make a fresh homemade batch of barley mushroom soup, and as I stir the soup, I ask for all the things I need in the coming months. I then bless the soup with the energy of my patron and patroness, as well as my “aunt” deity, Brighid.

I hope that this article gave you some ideas to ignite your own creative ideas. May you have a joyous Lughnasadh!

”

Mike Sexton is an eclectic solitary Wiccan practitioner with strong knowledge in kitchen and hedge witchery as well as crystals and many other areas. Mike has been practicing for many years and is also an author of On Your Wiccan Way: Learning to Build Your Wiccan Path. You can connect with him on Instagram @artistmikes or at his website Mikesextonstudio.com/bitomagick

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The Magick of Summer Berries:

Lammas' Other Signature Bounty Summer is one of the most magickal times of the year. Fresh produce seems to be everywhere, which can be seen by strolling through just about any farmer’s market.

give them to your friends and family, or just keep them for yourself.

Summer berries also make a great altar offering for Lughnasadh. It’s customary to decorate for the holiday with bright, autumn colors and fresh produce and grains from the harvest. Summer berries, especially those that are dark red in color, are the perfect addition.

One of the most abundant and easiest to use staples of the harvest season is fresh berries.

From strawberries to blueberries and everywhere in between, berries are a perfect way to help you honor the magick of the summer.

One other way to use berries to honor the season is by going berry picking. This is especially good for people with small children. It provides a way to collect the harvest while also being mindful of the blessings that occur this time of year. Having the children thank the gods and goddesses before picking the berries helps remind them where their food comes from and how lucky we are to have it.

In Ireland, there is an old holiday in early August called “Bilberry Sunday.” Everyone in town would go out to the fields to collect fresh berries. It was said that a large berry yield on this day was a sign that the coming harvest would be plentiful. In addition to eating them, one way that they would use the berries was by making bracelets. You can honor our Irish ancestors by doing the same.

This season, don’t forget about the magick of the summer berry. Whether you bake with it, eat it fresh, wear it, or use it in ritual magick, don’t forget to honor your ancestors and the gods and goddesses who make sure we have enough to eat.

Pick the firmest berries you can find of whatever variety you prefer (small berries work best). Keep the stalks attached. Using a needle and thread, sew the berries together by their stalks until it’s the size you want! You can wear them during Lughnasadh rituals,

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STORY

LUGHNASADH COME WITCH WITH ME

By Miss Snow

A short story inspired by Lughnasadh

T

he golden sun sets behind the stalks of wheat, slowly, like a song, the sky colors turning as if singing along. It's the first day of celebrating Lughnasadh, July 31st, and you will celebrate until the sunset on August 2nd, with many activities and delicious food.

You step outside to the world, sun warming your face, and take a deep breath. Right outside the door, there is a table serving as an altar. There are several others scattered about, all containing the same items, just decorated differently. Giant sunflower heads, bowls of grains (some tables have wheat or corn; others have barley), corn husk dolls and symbols for the sun. Every table has a loaf of bread, some round with a wheat shape on top and others, more intricate, actually resembling the wheat stalks.

The goddess Tailtiu had cleared the plains, many moons ago before your toes ever touched the earth.

She did so at the cost of her own life so that humans could grow all kinds of grain. But today, all you need is this sunset and the story of Lugh. Lugh was known as a great warrior and the god of light and thunder, particularly thunderstorms. Suddenly you whisper under your breath, "Please rain. Keep away." As the day ends and you look up the sky, give thanks for her efforts, and the honoring of a son, Lugh, who created a festivity as a way of celebrating her. The activities are prepared, for tomorrow is, in fact, the actual day to celebrate.

The sun is setting, but the heat shows no sign of slowing down, even though its time for the sun to slowly lose its strength, getting ready for winters' darkness. For now, you are preparing for the harvest and looking at the fields around you, the earth indeed looking like it's about to give birth, so full of the bounty she is. Its really the main theme of Lughnasadh, a celebration of fertility.

A bounty of vegetables and fruit, as colorful as a rainbow, create a decoration worthy of such festivity. The people gather, and there's a lively buzz happening, from one end to the other, bread loaves being carried like babies, picnic blankets adorn the grass and stumps used as tables.

To the left, in the open field, a handful of women rehearse the circle dance, their skirts flowing almost in slow motion, their hair wild but kept in place with flower crowns. The crowns are made of wheat and barley stalks, sunflowers that were already cut, creating a circle of small suns, dancing around and around. This is the circle dance, and it follows the path of the sun, a way of worship, to strengthen the sun king.

You ask for a good harvest and plan to store the grains through winter to sow again, come next spring. With the sun fading, a fresh breeze now caresses your arms, and you think back on what you've planted along the year, slowly getting up, pondering what you're about to collect. How magical it all seems, the turning of the wheel, and yet, so natural. With bare feet, you walk across the field, saying goodbye to July, promising to return the next day for the first day of August. And so, it arrives, August 1st.

You walk past the bread tables, where bread will be made throughout the day, by many hands, in between songs and folk stories. The so-called basic ingredients are royalty at this table; large clay pots filled with flour, jugs of water, and beautiful dark bottles with homemade olive oil that glows when the sun shines through. There's a smaller jar of salt, a second one with sugar, and nothing more.

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STORY

The ovens have already been lid and will be baking all day, filling the air with the characteristic smell of bread, burned wood, and a homely fireplace, even though its an open field and there's no sign of cold or a need for a fireplace. Sheaves of wheat are being carried around, and you notice how perfectly depicted they are on the bread loaves from the table.

"There were three men come out of the west, their fortunes for to try And these three men made a solemn vow, John Barleycorn would die They've plowed, they've sown, they've harrowed, thrown clods upon his head Till these three men were satisfied John Barleycorn was dead."

Miss Snow is a green witch currently living on the sunniest side of Europe. She uses the elements of the earth in her magic, working with the moon, flowers, herbs, and her trustworthy tarot deck to light the way. Her background as a handwork educator means there's always something being born from her hands. You can follow the adventures on Instagram at @thewildmoongarden, where she often writes about plants, books, petticoats and aprons, and her obsession with not wearing shoes.

Some of the men train for the bow and arrow competitions, and laughter abounds. It doesn't even feel like a competition, you think, more of a show of dexterity and strength.

There's a special activity during Lughnasadh, one that causes great excitement and lives on, from the old days, and you are standing right in front of it. Doors with heart-shaped holes, just large enough for a hand to go through, line up for an event happening during the second sunset of the day. Girls will stand on one side, boys on the other, each unaware of whose hand they're holding. This year, though, the same-sex doors are a cause for great smiles, as the premise of the activity is the same for all: The pair stays together for a year, up until the next harvest, and must then decide if they would like to renew their vows or not. If not, they must walk away, with their backs facing, and never look back.

This year is for renewal, the ending of a relationship, and the birth of new ones.

Everything follows the rhythm of nature, just like the circle of grain. There will be, no doubt, a ceremony of handfasting, an ancient Celtic ritual in which the hands are tied together with handwoven cords to symbolize the binding of the two lives. Hopefully, it won't rain, although, on a day like today, the rain will be received as a good omen. Even still, you hope it doesn't. With a smile in your face, as wide as a child's, you skip about and join the festivities, as a group of men starts singing the song of John Barleycorn:

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LUGHNASADH COME WITCH WITH ME

Wren’s Lughnasadh Bread

By Wren, The Cemetery Witch Lughnasadh is the traditional start to the harvest season, the first of three harvests. Also known as Lammas, after the Anglo-Saxon “loaf mass,” it is celebrated around the 1st of August when summer is at its peak, but the light begins to wane. For some, the true time of the festival is when the first “corn,” or crop is cut.

After the huge effort of getting crops successfully cut, stored, and stacked, there is time to celebrate and assess. Literally and metaphorically, Lughnasadh is a time to reap what you have sown, a chance to reflect on what you have achieved, and to consider the seeds you will sow for next year.

Historically, “Lammas Rights” were granted around the time of Lughnasadh, allowing “commoners” to hunt, forage, and pasture on common grounds, in order to feed their families. It is no wonder, then, that Lughnasadh has come to be associated with the grain harvest and a celebration, community, co-operation, and shared “common ground.”

Bread is the perfect Lughnasadh food. It’s symbolic of the Sun’s life energy, and of John Barleycorn, who stands old in the summer fields. He has changed from green to gold, and his time has now come. His sacrifice is celebrated at Lughnasadh, along with our descent into the darker half of the year, and the doorway to the inner realms opening. At this time, we celebrate the Sun and its abundance, but we also prepare for the renewal and regeneration brought about by sleep, death, and darkness.

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Wren’s Lughnasadh Bread

By Cemetery Witch

Grains harvested at this time of year include barley, oats, wheat, and rye, and all can be incorporated into bread. Calendula flowers and sunflower seeds are ripe for the picking and many common garden herbs, which can be added to sweet or savory bread for extra interest, nutrition, and color. Serve this bread at your Lughnasadh feast, or as part of your “cakes and ale” ritual.

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

500g granary bread flour 300g strong white bread flour 2 tsp salt 25g butter (or vegetable spread) 7g sachet yeast 4 tbsp clear honey (or Maple Syrup/Agave Nectar) 2 tbsp milk (or unsweetened plain Almond Milk) 4 tbsp sunflower seeds 200g finely chopped dates 560ml warm water

1. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl.

2. Add the butter and rub into the flour using your thumb and fingers until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.

3. Stir in the yeast and 3tbsp of honey.

4. Pour the warm water into the flour and stir with a wooden spoon.

Add a little more flour if it’s sticky – the dough should leave the side of the bowl.

5. Add the dates and knead those in. Take a moment to consider what you have personally reaped this year, give thanks, and then knead your intentions for the coming year into the dough. Knead the dough for ten minutes until it is stringy and smooth.

6. Cover and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes for the bread to prove.

7. Knead again and shape.

8. Warm 1tbsp honey in a pan, and mix in the milk. Brush over your loaf or rolls and sprinkle over the sunflower seeds.

9. Preheat oven to 220◦C/Fan 200◦C/Gas Mark 7. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Cool before eating.

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Yarrow and Carrot Focaccia Art

By Miss Wondersmith

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Yarrow and Carrot Focaccia Art

By Miss Wondersmith

This bread itself is an easy and fantastic recipe for a novice bread baker. You’ll be surprised at how quickly it comes together! No proofing, no kneading, no stress. Instead, it creates a rhythm, spaces between each step, room for relaxing. That gives you time to dive into decorating it as intensely as you want, which results in a stunning bread that also happens to taste amazing. I love the cheerful orange-yellow color of this bread too, which it gets from turmeric and carrots. The big secret of successful focaccia is time: the dough will need to hang out in the fridge overnight, then relax on the counter for a good two hours before baking.

INGREDIENTS:

DIRECTIONS:

4 c all-purpose or bread flour 2 tsp sea salt 1 packet instant yeast (2 ¼ tsp) 2 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp garlic powder 2 ½ c carrot puree 2 tbsp yarrow-infused olive oil Extra olive oil, to drizzle Extra sea salt A variety of herbs or vegetables to decorate with

1. Whisk together the flour, salt, herbs and spices, and yeast in a large bowl.

Add the carrot puree and yarrow-infused oil. Stir with a sturdy spoon or in a stand mixer with a dough hook until everything is completely mixed and there are no pockets of flour. The dough should be soft and sticky. (If it isn’t, add a little more water early on in the mixing process.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

2. Prepare a large cooking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Carefully tip the dough out onto the pan (you don’t want to deflate any of those lovely bubbles!) Use your fingers to gently stretch the dough into a large oval about ½” thick. Take your time decorating it however you desire.

Brush everything gently with more yarrow oil, then sprinkle it with sea salt and any herbs you’d like.

3. Cover with a slightly damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise for about two hours, or until nice and puffy.

4. Preheat your oven to 425F and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the bottom is crisp and the top is slightly golden. Carefully transfer the bread to a cooling rack. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

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