August 1, 2024……. This Lughnasadh I have been busy babysitting my granddaughter, so I did not have a chance to bake bread or do some of the things I would normally do for this Sabbat, but I was able to decorate my Altar, enjoy a cup of herbal tea, pick some flowers and herbs from my garden to create a bouquet for my altar, make a corn doll with my granddaughter, and enjoy a lot of time outdoors playing with her, and observing all that nature has to offer us right in my own backyard and neighborhood….I love teaching her about the different plants in our yard and gardens and observe and explore all the cool little beings we find like the garden slugs, butterflies, etc. I love watching both my toddler granddaughters play with the Fairy House my husband and I built in the garden too. Truly magical! Lammas(word meaning Loaf Mass) is celebrated much in the same way with the difference being this was a “Christianized form of this Sabbat where Christians would go to church (Mass) and have their loaves of bread , blessed to bring good luck to their Harvests this year.

Something new I learned this year is that the phrase, “the dog days of Summer.” This expression is not about an image of a dog panting on a hot summer day, but was named because of the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, which is the nose of the Canis Major (Big Dog Constellation) which rises high in the sky this time of year. How cool is it that people in North America, Greece, and Ireland, all knew this meant it was the time of year that there would be a lot of long, hot, dry days, and the time to harvest their crops?!

If you wish to learn more there is a lot of information on the Web if you google or search Lughnasadh or Lammas, and different ways you can celebrate this beautiful day! Wishing you many blessings for a wonderful August, however you celebrate….

September 14, 2023

Happy New Moon to all!

I pulled a Tarot card for the collective today, and it is the perfect card to celebrate tonight’s, New Moon, in Virgo. Today’s card is “The Magician”

Spiritually since the New Moon is about the beginning of a cycle, you can think of it as a cosmic reset. The new moon is the perfect time to set intentions to manifest dreams and goals that you'll develop as the moon waxes towards its fullness.

The Magician gives us the message that we have all the resources we need, to manifest our dreams and desires. This is represented by symbols of all the suits (tools) on his table. Its a card of manifestation, growth, and willpower! Just like the New Moon Phase! Ask yourself

How does the Magician, show up in your life? What would you like to manifest? He can also represent a teacher. Is there something new, you have been thinking about that you would like to learn?

Some ideas to do during a New Moon…

1. Sit down and journal what it is you would like to manifest into your life. (Its nice to make a cup of tea and light a candle, to create a sacred space for yourself while you do this.)

2. Write down some positive affirmations, for example….”I have everything I need inside me to manifest …

3. Place what you wrote, overnight, under the New Moon. Bring it in, tomorrow morning and save it to read out-loud, once a day for the next 2 weeks, until the Moon becomes Full. Release it back to Earth transmuting. Lastly, if you really want to celebrate your inner Goddess, prepare a candlelit bath for yourself, with Espom Salt and Magnesium for relaxation and grounding. Since we are entering Mabon, a celebration of harvest, to celebrate my inner Witchy side, I also like to pick some herbs from my garden like rosemary and lavender for protection and relaxation and self-love. I might even toss some apple slices in there too to be festive!

Would love to see your comments on what you would like to manifest this New . If you want to learn more about Tarot and Moon rituals, please follow me on IG at the_spiral_paths

All my love, Patti

 On this page, you will find Blogs and Information on everything Magickal! Everything honoring Mother Earth, Nature, and the Elements. Celtic Wheel of the Year Celebrations, Moon Cycle Rituals, Spells, Shamanic Practices, Nature, Sacred items, Crafting, and Folkloric tales….

July 17, 2023

Let’s begin with a New Moon Ritual for July 17, 2023. New Moon in Cancer…..

Ritual information for the New Moon in Cancer, Monday, July 17th.
As a water sign, Cancer is all about the natural ebb and flow of our emotions, and life. A New Moon is all about new beginnings, so it is always a great time to manifest new ideas, etc.
Water signs are very intuitive, very connected with our emotions, and all things Spiritual, so this is a great time to practice Divination, but coming from a place of our inner wisdom, our inner knowing, and our inner guidance.
I have been asked by several of my online community friends, what my New Moon Ritual will look like, so I thought I would post my ritual for this New Moon, in hopes that it may inspire others to create your own.
First, I personally will be taking the time to meditate and think, what it is I would like to manifest this New Moon, cycle.
Second step, I will create a Sigil and carve it into a candle and dress my candle with oils and herbs to further enhance what my intentions are. I will be thinking about what my intentions are while I am creating the Sigil and dressing my candle. For me personally, I am concentrating on growing my business in new directions, so I will be using a green candle, but if you don’t have a color in mind for your intentions, that's ok, a white candle is universal and works for everything.
Third step, I will light my candle and then write down what my intentions are. I will read them out loud under the Moon who is in her Maiden (new beginnings) cycle, and then I will light my paper on fire, using the candle and let it burn all the way through, in my caldron (but any fire proof bowl will do.) Please make sure you have a safe space to do this and a fire-proof bowl.
Don’t blow your candle out! Best to let it burn all the way down to the socket and let it go out on its own. I like to use small candles for rituals for this reason. If you use a large candle and can't wait for it to burn all the way down, snuff it out instead of blowing it out, and announce that your ritual is now closed. Best not to "blow" your intentions out of the candle!
Last step, In the morning you can either blow your ashes into the wind and let the wind carry your intentions like dandelion seeds, dispersing your seeds of intentions, into the universe, or bury them as if you were planting seeds in your garden.
Since Cancer is a Water sign, something extra special to treat yourself too, is a Ritual Bath by candlelight, on a New Moon, night. I like to use Epsom Salt (clears away energy that is no longer serving you), in the tub along with Rosemary for protection, Lavender and Roses to surround myself in Divine Feminine energy. Of course, you could also add whatever else calls to you. I also like to place some Moonstones and Rose Quartz in the water. Moonstones are connected to the Moon’s energy and Rose Quartz gives off a beautiful, soft, heart chakra-centered energy. All of this creates a beautiful, relaxing atmosphere, for your Ritual bath, that you very much deserve!
While in the bath, again, meditate on your intentions for this New Moon Cycle. Focus on the kind of energy you want to bring into your life, and the emotions you feel while nurturing your Mind, Body, and Spirit.
If you would be interested in learning more about Sigils, Candle Dressing, Moon Cycle Rituals, and more, please contact me through the website. Also if you would be interested to meet on Zoom, for Moon Cycle Rituals, and/or classes on the above, please let me know. I have gotten some interest from others already, to start an online circle of people with like-minded interests. I can feel this New Moon energy, already, manifesting my dreams.....Very exciting happenings on the way, for sure! New Moon Blessings, everyone! Much Love, Patti

Saturday, July 29, 2023

As I write this, I’m sitting on my lovely screened-in porch, enjoying a hot cup of coffee, while listening to the rain and distant Thunder.  I started to think about this Tuesday, wondering how many of you know what holiday (Sabbat) it is,  love celebrating holidays with old Folkloric traditions, and learning more about the history of them, like I do? I hope some of you….

I thought I might take a few minutes to talk about Lughnasadh, which arrives on Tuesday, August 1st, for those of you who may be interested in learning more about it.  

Lughnasadh, is named after the Celtic God Lugh, the Celtic God of Sun and Light. Later this Sabbat was also called Lammas,  which was developed years later by the Anglosaxons, and means “Loaf Mass.”  It is considered the first day of Fall, and is usually celebrated on this day, or the day of the closest Full Moon to this day, if you want to celebrate it as the ancient Celts most likely did. This was a day to celebrate the first grain Harvest! The first of the three Celtic Harvest Festivals, are Lughnasadh celebrating the first of harvest of grains and corn, Mabon, harvest of fruits, and Samhain harvest of livestock.  Traditionally, it is the first day Wheat is harvested. On this day, the first Wheat was cut, and bread was baked, immediately, and was given to all the farm workers to celebrate the first harvest and abundance for the year ahead. During Lammas, bread was still baked, but then taken to Mass, to have the bread blessed by the church.  Today, both names, rituals and celebrations are combined. 

One folktale about Lughnasadh is about the God of the harvest known as the Green Man (also known as John Barelycorn).  He sacrifices himself every year in order to enable human life on Earth. In some areas his death is mourned with wreaths decorated with poppies and cornflowers. Looking at this and thinking about the season of Autumn, sacrifice, transformation, death and rebirth are also part of Lughnasadh.  

What are some ways we can celebrate Lughnasadh, today?  First, we could bake, or buy,  a loaf of bread, and share it with our friends and family.  We can also craft corn husk dolls or wheat dollies to hang in our home for Good Luck and as blessings of abundance.  I made one with my granddaughter, yesterday, after we finished shucking corn for dinner while it was cooking! They are easy and fun to make! I’ll post photos with this article.  These decorations were traditionally hung at the gates of the farms and in the kitchens as house blessings and for good luck. Once the harvest season ended, the dolls were brought out to the farm fields and either buried or broken up and scattered over the ground to bring good luck for another abundant growing season next year. 

In keeping with the old traditions, I also created a couple of corn husk dolls to decorate my kitchen and altar.  I will keep them out through Thanksgiving.  Other ways to celebrate would be to decorate an area in your home with dried wheat stalks, sunflowers, or other sheaves of grains. Create a small Altar space for yourself, in your home, and do the same. I love decorating my Altar with Seasonal items. It’s my own little corner in our home where I can go to read, meditate, craft, etc.  

Colors associated with this holiday are yellow, orange, gold, red, bright greens (think Fall). Crystals associated with this Holiday are Citrine, Peridot, Carnelian, Golden Topaz, Golden Tiger’s Eye, Crystal quartz and Amber. 

If you would like to learn more about Lughnasadh and Lammas, and how to incorporate the Sabbats from the  Celtic Wheel of the Year, into your life, please don’t hesitate to contact me. There is also a lot of information available, online, too. I started to learn more about these Sabbats about 4 years ago and I love it.  I fell in love with all the old traditions and folkloric tales around them. Every year I have learned more fascinating facts about them. I was surprised too, about how many of these Pagan traditions we are still using today and most people are not aware of their roots. For example, if you have ever made a Christmas Wreath, carved a Pumpkin, or Colored Easter Eggs, you were practicing a Pagan tradition. Would love to hear how you plan to celebrate Lughnasadh or Lammas, too? To my beautiful Soul Family, Happy Lughnasadh! Merry Meet, Merry Part, Merry Meet Again! Much Love, Patti