I'm a witch.
Take a few minutes to compose yourself. I must say I warned you. And, if it makes you feel any better about continuing to read, I'm a little embarassed of the label. I'm not a flag-waving, cone-hat-wearing, broom-riding, wart-faced witch. I don't go around giving people the evil eye. I can't clean my house by twitching my nose and I can't even get a parking spot by crossing my fingers (although I have tried this. lol)
On the other hand, I do collect weird objects and herbs, I like to think I have some influence on the course of events in my life, and I believe my daily rituals (including the food I eat, how I treat people and even my sex life) directly affect the outcome of my future. That's not such a hard pill to swalow, is it? I also have a BIG sense of entitlement and a bit of a superiority complex... but I'm working on that.
If you're still with me, I would like to share how I spent a very rare and sacred evening. As you may know, last night was a lunar eclipse. However, a lunar eclipse hasn't happened at Winter Solstice (the first day of winter) since 1638... and it won't happen again while I am casting spells. So, it was an auspicious night for creating a talisman and for other spell work.
My biggest obstacle for traditional witchcraft at the solstices is staying up to witness the birth (or death) of the sun. The birth happens on the first day of winter (when the days start to get longer) and the death happens on the first day of summer (when the days get shorter). My job on these nights is to stay up and (figuratively) make sure this happens. But, I'm getting too old for these late nights, so I gotta keep busy. Facebook helps. I played a few games of Mahjong and watched my son play Back Ops a bit. He has no trouble staying up all night - he stays up all nght every night playing video games. He tends to be more Buddhist in his beliefs, though, and he could have cared less about a lunar ecipse.
In between computer games and cleaning house, I made macaroni and cheese, baked beans, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and banana bread. I ran out of chocolate chips and milk so I had to take a 1 a.m. trip to Sobeys for more supplies. When I got back, I cracked open a couple of Asian beers (Tsing Tao... yummy) and continued waiting for the eclipse. Austin (my son) acted as DJ and played all kinds of urban music for me. He focused on pwning noobs and I tried to get my ass to move like the girls in the T-Pain videos. If you could have seen me, trying to perfect my "pop, lock and drop" in the reflection of my wall stove, you would have pissed your pants. I also like to do that move that Rihanna does in her video for "Only Girl in the World" - she puts her arms out and spins around and around singing, "Want you to make me feel like I'm the only girl in the world. Like I'm the only one that you'll ever love. Like I'm the only one who knows your heart." I didn't even knock anything over.
The moon was obscured by cloud cover, but I did manage to watch it intermittently slip behind the shadow of the earth between 1:30 a..m. and 2:30 a.m. Basically, it just looked like the moon was full and then half full. By the time it was covered, the clouds made it impossible to see anymore. And, this is when I decided to get to work.
I needed a lasting memento of the occasion to help with spells. For me, Yule is a time for letting go of the past and focusing on the future, making a fresh start. It is also a time of peace, the kind that you feel on a crisp, winter night when the snow is covering everything and it's so still. These are the things you have to think about while you do your work. It's like zoning out. No more checking out your Nicki Minaj butt in the mirror.
Without any real plan, I grabbed my air-drying modeling clay, a 2010 quarter with a caribou on it and a razor blade. I wrapped the quarter in a bit of clay and shaped it into a triangle (like a Christmas tree) with the three sides representing the maiden, mother, and crone. I carved a picture of holly on one side with the razor blade and made a hole in the top in case I ever decide to wear it around my neck. After a bit of research, I was ready to meet the sun. It was 4 a.m. and I couldn't see the moon for all the clouds. I let my all-night candle burn while I read books until I could see the first light of day... and then I passed out.
Up and at 'em around 10 a.m. I made zucchini and cheddar fritters for breakfast, grabbed a handful of chocolate covered peanuts for good measure and began my Winter blessing. I adapted the following from a Hindu blessing I found in one of my books of curses and maledictions.
With my talisman in my left hand, walking clockwise from my front door to all the rooms of my house, I repeated the following:I banish misfortune and malignity
All blessings to my family.
I chase away danger.
Let the spirit take away stinginess from the hands and feet.
Grant me the bounties of good luck.
The spirit makes me happy.
Any sign of sickness in myself and my family
I drive away and destroy with my speech
May the spirit bless us.
Pain, jealousy, fear and criticism
I drive away from us.
The spirit brings money, health, friendship and love to us.
I have to repeat that prayer every day for the next 21 days. It will work for me and I am sending out all the same blessings to you and your family on this very beautiful solstice day.
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