Herbal Healing~~

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Spells, incantations and herbal remedies are not used only by witches. Shamans, healers, midwives and herbalists in many traditions use these things in one form or another. Cerridwynn would like to present just a few of the most commonly used magickal formulae. Also, we hope to include an herbal encyclopedia from A to Z. Many common herbs are helpful and can be procured at your local pharmacy (as well as your local occult shop. Mugwort, for instance, when sprinkled into warm bath water has a soothing effect on arthritis. Catsclaw helps constipation as well as the pain of gastritis and ulcers, and Echinacea in combination with Black Cohosh help menstrual cramps,pms and the distress associated with menapause. Juniper Berries are good as a diuretic. They help with the pain of kidney and bladder iritations. Garlic is good for many things. For earache pain you can heat a small amount of purified olive oil(pharmaceutical olive oil is called "Sweet Oil" but we don't know many pharmacies that carry it anymore). When the oil is very warm--not boiling--cut open a clove of garlic and soak it in the warm oil. As it cools the garlic oil blends with the olive oil. Drain the product into a small bottle with an eyedropper lid. Rewarm it and put a drop or two into an aching ear. This worked wonderfully when our children were small. They both still remember the relief it gave them from the pain. However, none of these should be used as a substitute for a visit to your physician, but sometimes they can be used in conjunction with traditional medicine.
A great remedy for high cholesterol is oatmeal. We know that the medical profession has discovered some wondrous new drugs which will eventually bring the problem of high cholesterol under control (at least to some extent). My husband has had an ongoing fight to control cholesterol and triglyceride levels. All the drugs the doctors prescribed seemed to cause terrible side effects. Finally, my husband just gave up. He stopped the drugs and decided if he met his end, then it would be on his own terms. I had heard on a talkshow that oatmeal will control cholesterol problems, but only in rather large amounts. In order to control my husband's condition we (I joined in) consumed three bowls of oatmeal per day for several months. If you use a sugar substitute and the new zero calorie liquid margarine to add to the taste, the warm oatmeal is really quite palatable. And it got my husband's cholesterol count down from 450 to 250 in three months. It may sound extreme, but so is a cholesterol count of 450.

Aspirin comes from a compound made from the bark and leaves of a willow tree. It has been used to treat fever since eat least the fifth century, common era. It was refined into a stable form in the late 1800's.

Morphine was extracted from the opium poppy in 1806. Codeine came into being around 1830.

Digitalis for heart disease is refined from the foxglove plant.

Ectoposide and teniposide are semisynthetic anticancer drugs derived in the 1950's from a chemical called podophyllotoxin in the mayapple.

Quinine: An antimalarial drug comes from the bark of the cinchona tree. The powdered bark was traditionally used to treat fever. Later, in 1944 it was used to treat malaria.

Reserpine is an antihypertensive drug called Rauwolfia serpentina or Dogbane. It was grown in India and used for centuries as a tranquilizer. The active ingredient was discovered in 1952.

These are just a few of the many things we will eventually include in these pages. Love spells, protection spells, and spells for divination, health and money will be here, too. Currently (and mostly always), we are under construction. Please be patient with us!

Cerridwynn

Drawing Down the Moon


Self Blessing~~


On the night of the full moon, take a shower in very warm water. While you are showering, imagine that you are cleansing not only your body, but also your mind and soul. When you have finished, pat yourself dry with a cloth or a towel you have blessed beforehand. Then stand nude in front of a mirror. Light a candle and put your hands together (fingertips touching) behind the candle flame. Repeat this invocation:
Earth, Air, Fire, Water,
Earth, Air, Fire, Water,
Earth, Air, Fire, Water,
Mother of Earth and the Moon,
Come forth, come forth, come forth.
Watch over me (us),
Help me (us) to walk in your path.
Let my mind think only of you.(anoint your forehead with saltwater.
Let my heart beat only for you.(Anoint your heart with the saltwater.)
Let my hands do your work. (Anoint your hands with salt water.)
Let my loins be fruitful and add to our numbers. (Anoint your gentalia with saltwater.)
Let my feet travel in your footsteps. (Anoint your feet with saltwater.)
Whatever difficulties besiege me I know that with you, Mother, I can never be defeated.
Watch over me now and forever.
So Mote It Be!

Blow out the candle and know that the Lady is with you and all is well.

Divination~~

There are many methods of fortelling the future. Some people are born with the gift of secondsight. My good friend Sheer and her husband Spyder, have been so blessed. They not only read each others thoughts, they take care of their families and even strangers who are in dire need. Sometimes Sheer emails me to tell me of the plight of a sick child or a mother who is in need. They are a great addition to the Pagan path and two of my favorite people. Most of us are not that fortunate. For centuries pagans have used specialized tools for telling future events. The first one we want to mention is tarot. The tarot cards are very old. Their roots date back to ancient Egypt. There is a knack for using the tarot. You must browse through the many available tarot decks and find the one which suits you personally. If you are truly ambitious you may wish to design your own. Here at Cerridwynn we use the Rider-Waite deck and I seem to find a special feel for the Sacred Rose deck. Whichever one you decide on, take the time to learn the cards. Remember that a card can represent a person as well as an event. Reading the tarot takes time, but it's well worth the effort. There are several good books on the "how-to" of tarot reading. Check our link with Amazon Books to find the book you need.

The next method of divination we would like to cover is "rune reading." The runes, like the tarot, are very old. There are also several different kinds. Sometimes I feel that the runes are a bit more definitive (taking a stand one way or the other on an issue in question), but that's probably because I'm not that good at reading the tarot. Ralph H. Blum has written several good books on the subject of rune reading. The ones we use are The Book of Runes and Rune Play. If you would like to examine these books check the "Links" page.

The third method we want to mention is scrying. This method of divination is especially esoteric in nature. Scrying can be performed with a crystal ball or a bowl of water. You simply stare into the crystal (or water) until you become one with it. If you have the gift of seeing then the future will be revealed to you. Crystal balls are beautiful and very provocative, but not necessary to this endeavor. Now, it may have become obvious to you that we don't use this method much. We are not blessed with the gift of second sight, so we mostly rely on the runes and tarot. These are not the only methods of divination.

Yet another method for asking simple yes or no questions is the pendulum. You simply attach a charm or crystal evenly to the end of a string or chain. You hold the pendulum out in front of you and concentrate on your question. If the answer is "yes" the pendulum will swing up and back. If the answer is "no" the pendulem will sway from side to side. If the question is unanswerable the pendulum will swing in a circle. You must really try not to influence the pendulum with your conscious mind. It is true that the answer you receive may be coming from you subconscious mind. But it is also true that very often your subconscious mind has more information on personal questions than we may think. This was the first method of divination we taught our children. Young people love this because they can do it alone and enjoy it together without the supervision of an adult. Try it, you may be surprised. If you are interested in this form of divination check The Pyramid Collection. They have a lovely and inexpensive pendulum on sale (also, it's fun to browse their pages for bargains!).

There are also magickal means of divination such as Ouija boards (spirit boards) and spells such as "dreaming true." But for now we are just going to leave you with the simpler means. We'll post some divination spells later.

If you are anxious to learn the answer to a question right now and you don't have a tarot deck or a set of runes on hand, (and you don't have much luck with a bowl of water) then check our link below with "Facade." These good people provide the means for you to ask your question and pick the method of divination. And they do it all online! Until you can procure your own tools, you might want to give them a try.

The next thing we want to cover will be a moon ritual. Performed on the full moon, this simple ritual can ease your mental anguish and help you get through the rest of the month.
Full Moon Rite

Also known as "Drawing Down The Moon"
To perform a Full Moon Ritual, the first thing you need is a full moon. The next thing are the tools and candles we mentioned on the "Getting Started" page. Cast your circle (making sure that you have everything you need with you). After you have cast your circle and lit the altar candles and incense, you perform an invocation of the Goddess. You may use the name of any goddess you choose. Hertha is one name of the Earth Mother. Gaea is another name. Demeter is yet another. Some goddesses have alteregos. Diana, for instance has a darker side named Hecate. If you conjure Diana and get Hecate, the results can be frightening. Use a simple evocation:
Mother of All, Goddess of the Earth
Personified by the glowing Moon,
Watch over me, your humble child,
Keep me from harm and protect those I love.
Everything I do, I do in your honor.

Now pour some wine into your chalice and say this:

Bless this wine, Mother,
That I may drink it in your honor.
To you, Mother, I pour this libation (pour a little wine on the ground), and drink this toast--drink from the glass and gaze into the candle flame for a moment.

Now close your eyes or gaze up at the moon and contemplate what you have to be thankful for and what you would like to see happen in the coming month. Warning: Ask for what you need but don't ask too much. If you get greedy the Goddess will show you just how little you can get by on.

When you feel that your thoughts are complete and your magickal objectives have been communicated to the Mother fold your arms across your body placing your hands on your shoulders. Now say: The rite is ended. So Mote It Be!

Blow out the candles and you should feel very good. Usually, at the point of finishing the rite we would give the license to depart. It is important to allow all beings you have conjured to return to whatever place they usually occupy. Sometimes it may also be something you did not mean to conjure--somthing you might not really want there at all. But this is not a problem when evoking the Goddess. She will protect you from harm at all times and she will not allow negative influences to enter her space. So, feel the glow of being the special being that you are! And be sure to look up at the Moon once in awhile and say "Thank you!"

Now, before you go too much further you should acquire some books to further your education in the arena of the Wiccan ways. There are several books we here at Cerridwynn would like to recommend:
1.The Golden Boughby Sir John George Fraser
2. The White Goddess by Robert Graves
3. Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
4. Mastering Witchcraft by Paul Huson
There are many other books to which your studies may lead, but these books are essential. Mastering Witchcraft has a definite slant to it. Some practitioners do not care for it because it suggests such things as "saying the Lord's Prayer backwards" in order to break your old ties with Christianity. We at Cerridwynn do not advocate this. If those ties are meant to be broken, you will break them. Furthrmore, some of the other books are meant mainly as reference books. They are good sources. You will find them handy should you further pursue your interest in Paganism. If you wish, Cerridwynn has provided a link with Amazon Books which you may use to find these books and many others on the subject (or any other subject you may wish). Or you may go to your local bookstore to buy them. Whichever you choose, we suggest that you do buy them because you will want to refer to them again and again.

Protection


Protection against a magickal attack is something every witch should plan on sooner or later. When you begin to practice the magickal arts a sort of call goes out on the other side. At this point, the challenge is on. Against most interloping entities you may find that the "Self Blessing" is effective. Simply do the "Self Blessing," then consecrate the four corners of the room with incense and saltwater, giving the "license to depart" to all spirits which may have entered your space. Stand your ground and simply tell all guests both seen and unseen to return to the place from which they came. You should do this when you feel uneasy at night, when you move into a new home, when you perform any type of magickal rite, when you utilize such things as Spirit Boards (Ouija Boards), or any other solitary form of divination, or when you are under attack. If your "guest" is simply a curious spirit who has wandered in to have a look at you, this should be enough to send it packing. If, on the other hand, it has been sent by an angry witch (or worse, an angry coven) then you must protect yourself.

The Pentacles of Solomon are very powerful. Most of us use only the most common, the pentagram. But there are many others. They can come in very handy. In a carefully cast circle, with the sturdiest cone of power you can muster, you must settle in with some sheets of parchment (real parchment if possible, if not, a good substitute is available at any art store and most stationery stores), a list of those who would harm you--assuming that you know, a pen or pencil, your normal altar tools, and some small leather pouches (handmade by you if possible). You will cut the parchment into 4 inch squares and draw on each square a protective pentacle. We have hand drawn the three pentacles you will need for this ritual. Here they are:

Draw lightly in pen or pencil, then prepare to draw them all again in your blood(if you really can't stand to draw your own blood, we understand--an acceptable substitute would be chicken blood available with any whole fryer or beef blood from a steak, readily available from any supermarket. Female practitioners may be able to use menstrual blood). It will only take a few drops and the protective potential is great.
Cast your circle as usual except for one thing. Instead of using your favorite incense in the "Protection" Spell, you must use Dragon's Blood Incense. It doesn't smell very aromatic, but it helps get the job done. Do not underestimate the power of this particular incense. It helps clear the area of negative forces. When all your magickal tools are gathered on your altar, your dragon's blood incense is smoldering on the coals (this incense is powder or pebbles which must be placed on burning charcoal). The merchant at your local magicke shoppe can probably help you with this procedure if it's new to you. After calling upon the Lords of the Quarters and the Goddess, give the license to depart to unwanted entities.

Drawing the Pentacles:


After you have drawn the first pentacle say this: "Bound be all demons and powers of adversity from the north, south, east and west. Bound shall be all those who would do evil against me (or the name of the person for whom you do the spell)."
When you draw the second pentacle draw the T-shaped cross in the middle last. This pentacle is a variation of the triple sealing cross and is considered very powerful. Repeat the verse above: "Bound be all demons and powers of adversity from the north, south, east and west. Bound shall be all those who would do evil against me."
When you draw the third pentacle, say the verse a third time: "Bound be all demons and powers of adversity from the north, south, east and west. Bound shall be all those who would do evil against me."
When the "ink" is dry on the pentacles place them into the leather pouch and seal it with a consecrated needle and thread or a thin strip of red leather which can be interwoven at the top of the pouch. Hold up your finished product to the heavens, and say this:
Mother of All things, hear me,
Let this talisman be my defense against all foes,
Be they human or preternatural.
When the pentacles are drawn and sealed into the pouch. then you will want to turn your attention to the name of your attacker. Burn the name or names of your attackers. Visualizing the magicke they have sent out as bouncing off your talisman and being sent back to the originator of the spell. Give the license to depart to your elemental friends and any other unexpected guests. Thank the Goddess for Her presence. Meditate for a few moments on the effectiveness of the rite. Blow out the candles, always moving in a clockwise direction, and say "The Rite Is Ended. So Mote it Be." Then relax in the knowledge that any ill spells which have been cast your way will be sent back to the attacker. Now, it is wonderful if we can perform protective acts on the full moon. Unfortunately, sometimes the need arises at other times of the month. Do not allow the time to affect your performance of the necessary rite. When you need Her the Goddess will be there. Be careful, and remember that whatever you send out in the circle comes back to you threefold (or sevenfold, or tenfold depending upon which tradition you follow). So, be sure it is something you will not mind having return to you.

Saining


I'm not sure where to put this ritual, so I'm going to place it here on the Spells Page. It is certainly a ritual--not so certainly a spell, but here goes. Saining is the practice of naming and consecrating an infant. The rite is performed when the baby is one year old. The High Priest or Priestess consecrates the child by the four elements. The child is sprinkled with water, also with dirt or sand, held over a censer for air and over a campfire(ideally) for fire. The mother gives the child a name at this point. Then the women bare their breasts, cover their heads, and walk into the forest. The men stay behind drinking and talking. They choose a tree, and the mother then produces the baby's umbilicus (which she has stored since the baby's birth) and the women give the tree the same name as the baby. Then the women bury the umbilical cord at the roots of the tree. As the tree grows, so will the child flourish. This is the Welsh equivalent of baptism. The word "saining" according to the Oxford English Dictionary means blessing and is of Irish origin.

~~~~~***~~~~~

Handfasting


The Pagan ritual of Handfasting is very old. A man and a woman who plan to marry go through a ritual called "handfasting" which is like a marriage ceremony. Usually, the ritual takes place in the Spring when the Earth is alive with new growth. It is presided over by a Priest of Priestess and is usually followed by feasting and a ceremonial coupling. A pledge is made between the couple to live together as man and wife for one year. At the end of that time, they take stock of their budding relationship and decide whether or not to continue together. If either party has cause to end the partnership, the two go their separate ways. If, however, they wish to remain together, another ceremony takes place in which they are married for life. Some Pagan traditions hold fast to the old ways. The year of "trial marriage" is still a part of the handfasting ritual. In other groups, handfasting has now taken the place of marriage and is considered to be binding for life. Either way, the handfasting rite has finally been recognized by the government as a legal marriage and can be performed by any official who is licensed to perform marriages. Here at Cerridwynn, all member have legally recognized credentials as "ministers" and can perform marriages, baptisms (sainings), and funerals. If you intend to dedicate your life to the Pagan religion, it is a good idea to become recognized by whatever state you reside in as a religious leader (I hesitate to refer to this as a minister or reverend, preferring Priest or Priestess). Please feel free to contact us if you are interested in pursuing this course. Still want to see more spells you say?? Well, all right. We have a few love spells and miscellaneous magickal operations on Spells2. If you still do not see a spell thaf fits your purpose, please feel free to email us!
Blessed Be

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