Spell of the Day: New Moon Blessing for Wealth and Mental Health

I’ve spent the past few weeks battling a bout of depression at the same time I’ve also been attempting to deal with some financial issues. Since tonight is the New Moon, I decided to take these two things into account when I sat down to do my New Moon blessing ritual this month.

My New Moon blessings are usually something simple. I’ll light a candle and incense on my altar, write my wish/intention for the coming month on a Bay Leaf, and burn it in the flame of the candle. I wanted to do something a bit more in-depth this time around (and not just because I find myself currently out of Bay Leaves.)

I usually work spells at the permanent altar set up in my living room. However, (and I’m not sure why) that didn’t feel right today. Instead, I grabbed a few things off my altar and set up a temporary one on my coffee table to work this spell. I place a lot of value on instinct when working magic. Sometimes I set out to do things a certain way and once I start, it just doesn’t feel right or something else feels better. It’s difficult to explain, but for lack of a better phrase: Go with your gut.

Instead of my usual Bay Leaf, I decided to do an herb and oil anointed candle.

A quick note about blood in magic:
I use blood from time to time. I know there are those who say you should NEVER use blood in magic because it is a powerful ingredient. Blood is literally the stuff of life. You shouldn’t use it lightly or in everything you do. I only use my own blood. My own set of rules/morals will not allow me to use blood from anyone or anything else. If you do work magic with the blood of someone else, I STRONGLY urge you to consider the motivations behind its use and the manner in which you acquire it. Blood forms a strong bond between the magic being worked and the one the blood came from. This is why I use my own from time to time.
If you do use blood, make sure you obtain it in a safe way. You don’t need a lot. Just a drop or two is enough. I’ve talked to a few witches who use menstrual cups to collect their own blood during their monthly cycle. Personally, that’s not a route that has ever appealed to me and the timing is hardly ever right. Instead, I use the same type of lancet typically used to prick fingers for use in diabetic blood testing. If it’s an option for you, I recommend it. Its safer than other options, it hurts a lot less than other options, and the bleeding stops pretty much immediately.

Anyway, onto the spell work:

• Candle: Black with a few personal symbols for wealth, health, and peace carved into it.
• Oil: Rubbed on the outside of candle
• Patchouli for Wealth/Prosperity
• A few drops of blood: Rubbed on outside of candle with oil
• Herbs: Crushed in mortar and poured onto a plate so candle can be rolled in to coat outside.
• Lavender for healing, peace, and cleansing
• Rosemary for healing, peace, cleansing, and strength
• Sage for healing and cleansing
• Mint for money and blessing
• I placed the candle in a shallow bowl of salt and used a small candle to light it.
• Incense: burned in my small cauldron on a quick-light coal.
• Frankincense for protection and blessing
• Myrrh for protection, purification, and warding negative energies
• I said a quick, personal blessing and meditated on my goals for the spell. I focused on building as much energy and intent as I could and then released it into the universe to work its magic. 
• While the incense was still smoking, I used it to cleanse and bless a few new tools as well. 

All in all, I feel more positive now then I did before I worked the spell. If that’s the only affect, it will be enough.

Until we meet again:
Peace, Love, and Incense,
Raven Rivers

Good Pagan? Bad Pagan?

I sometimes find myself feeling like a “Bad” Pagan. Why? It’s because I don’t always follow the “rules.”

When you’re first starting out, the one thing almost every “baby witch” does is start reading. There’s an overabundance of resources out there telling you what to do and how it “should” be done. I have a stack (lets be honest, the term “mountain” might be more accurate here) of books I’ve collected over the years. There are a few I open often as resource guides when I’m interested in the more traditional uses and meanings of different elements I am wanting to include in spells. However, more often than not, I find myself turning to my smart phone and the internet for this type of research. You can find a vast amount of uses and traditions in a shockingly short amount of time. The internet is an extremely valuable tool. However, there is a downside.

There is a common theme to the questions I am ALWAYS asked by people just starting out:

• Where do you get your tools?
• What do I HAVE to have to start working spells?
• How do I find my God and Goddess?
• Can I do… ?
• Is … okay?
• What is the right color for …?
• What is the right moon phase for …?

These are all valid questions but the people asking them don’t realize they are questions I cannot answer for them. When they do eventually arise, I try my best to explain the nature of Pagan/Witchcraft traditions and a few things to keep in mind when you are reading about them.

1. Yes, there are “tools” used in ritual/ceremony/spell-work and NO you do not need ANY of them.

• The most important things you need to do spell-work are yourself, your own instinct, and your own intent. 
• Tools (I.e. wand, athame, candles, herbs, incense, etc) are used to focus the intent and energies you put into your spell-work. 
• Yes, you will probably notice you have more success or feel more positive about what you are doing when/if you do start using tools. 
• There’s a reason they have continued to be used for generation after generation. They help make what you do more effective because they help put you in the right state of mind and help you focus better on what you are trying to do. 
• This is also why many people find they develop a relationship with their tools and the longer they have them the better they seem to work. 

2. No one can tell you what is “right” or “wrong” for you.

• Yes, there are long held traditions about what tools is for what purpose, what herb is good for protection, what phase of the moon is good for certain types of spells, what you should do to celebrate Samhain, etc.
• While it is a good idea to research these long-held traditions, it is also good to keep in mind that the reason magic works is because of your belief in it and the intent you put into it. Because of this, what works for others may not work for you. 
• You decide your morals
• You decide when, where, and how you practice.
• NO ONE CAN EVER TELL YOU THAT YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG
• That doesn’t mean that some won’t try. 
• Listen to them, if only to gain some insight into the beliefs of others. This is a great way to learn about the beliefs and practices of others and you might find some valuable information in what they have to say. That does not mean you have to follow exactly what they say. 
• Your practice is and will always be your own. 

3. Everyone interacts with the God and Goddess differently

• I won’t claim that they are not important because they are. However, their importance means different things to different people.
• Some people devote themselves to specific deities. 
• Some people change deities with the seasons.
• Some people simply use the terms God and Goddess and don’t specify a “who.”
• Some people work with deities from many different pantheons (I.e. Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian, Celt, Native American, etc.) while some stick to only one.
• Some people see their deities as defined individuals while others see them as different aspects of the same Great Divine. 
• What they are and how you interact with them is highly personal and something only you can decide for yourself. 
• If you do desire to seek out a specific God and/or Goddess to devote yourself to, it is more than okay to seek guidance into how to go about it. (There will probably be a future post dedicated entirely to this topic as it comes up so often.)

4. Paganism and Witchcraft are not the same thing

• Paganism is an umbrella term that covers MANY traditions across the entire wold. Most often it is used to describe any religion/spiritual tradition that does not fall into the “mainstream” type religions.
• The traditions that tend to fall under this category are varied but do tend to have a few things in common. 
• They tend to share a focus on the importance of nature and our connection with it.
• They tend to share a polytheistic belief in the divine
• They tend to be more personalized vs the rigid structure of a church. 
• Many people like to use the word “Pagan” to refer to their own beliefs when they don’t relate 100% to a specific tradition/path/set of beliefs. 
• I tend to use this term to refer to myself because my beliefs are very eclectic and I have never found a path or tradition that completely encompasses my beliefs and practices. 
• Witchcraft is a term used to describe the practice of working spells/charms/hexes/etc.
• You do not have to be pagan to practice witchcraft
• There are witches that identify with MANY different religions or spiritual beliefs
• I’ve known witches who otherwise identify as Christian/Jewish/Atheist/etc.
• You don’t have to identify as a “Witch” to practice witchcraft.
• Witchcraft can be as elaborate or simple as the practitioner desires
• You can hold long elaborate rituals
• Spells can be as simple as throwing salt over your shoulder for luck or taking a moment to simply focus on what it is you want to achieve. 

5. Your practices and beliefs are nothing more or less than what you make of them.

So, after all of that, I have a question to ask. Can you really be a “good” or “bad” pagan? I don’t think so. I get to decide what “Pagan” means to me and the rules I will follow. It is easy to feel like a bad pagan at times. When I do step out of my solitary practice to join in public rituals, there is always a sense of lacking something. The people around me know the chants being used. They know the steps the rest of the group will follow and know the words being spoken. At times like this, it is easy to doubt my own knowledge. It’s easy to feel like I’ve spent years of learning and practice for nothing because I’m doing it wrong.

The honest truth is, I feel this way because I haven’t been attending public ritual with this group for very long while they have been practicing together for years. They know the chants because they have been using them for as long as they have been a group. They know the words their High Priestess will speak because they have heard her speak them many times before. This does not invalidate what I do on my own. It doesn’t make what I do on my own wrong. What it does do is give me a good look at what works for others and ideas of things that might work for me. I’ve started including versions of their chants in my own practice. I’ve learned a lot about the way they practice that I wouldn’t have otherwise known. I've noticed a lot about my own practice that I wouldn't have noticed otherwise. My solitary practice is highly lacking in music, humor, and fun. That’s something I’ve learned I want to change. We live and grow by experience.

Read all you can.
Experience all you can.
Use what speaks to you.
Don’t worry about the rest.

Until we meet again:
Peace, Love, and Incense,
Raven Rivers

Introduction, Plans, The Rule and Why I'm Breaking it for You...

Paganism…

Wicca…

Witchcraft…

Witch…

Such scary words! (Can you feel the sarcasm here? If not, this might not be the blog for you.)

For me, scary has never been an adjective I have associated with any of these terms. I tend (for the most part) to use more positive words. Intimidating, confusing, beautiful, freeing, inspirational, spiritual, empowering, home… my list of adjectives goes on and on.

I grew up in the bible belt. My family are a fun mix of Catholic/Baptist/We-Don’t-Care-What-You-Are-As-Long-As-You-Believe-In-Jesus with very few exceptions. The small town I still live in has 41 active churches (for a population of around 7,000) listed on the official town website. You can find them listed along with information about local parks, government buildings, public schools, and upcoming local events. We have one interstate exit, one Walmart (because we, somehow, happen to be the largest town in our county,) a handful of children’s parks, a few fast-food joints, and a Christian-based church within 1/8 of a mile of nearly every resident. I personally drive past 6 (that I can remember off the top of my head) during the 5-minute drive from my house to our local Walmart. To say that living openly as a Pagan in my hometown can a nightmare is putting it lightly.

Why does this matter? Because I felt the need to explain the origins of my most important personal rule when discussing religion and why I have decided to break it. What is the rule? “If you don’t know me well enough to know my name, you don’t get to discuss religion with me.” This might seem like a close-minded rule from the outside. If you’ve never lived in the bible belt or you’ve never had the pleasure of interacting with some of the people who live here, you might not understand at first.

It all started a few years ago. At the time, I was firmly “in the broom closet” with little desire to put myself through the hell of coming out of it. There were hints picked up (though not usually mentioned) by close friends and family. I had been refusing to attend church regularly from the moment I became old enough to have an opinion on the matter. They knew how I had come to feel about “mainstream” organized religion. It just wasn’t for me. With extremely few exceptions, I don’t think most of them had any clue as to the true reasons behind my refusal.

So, a few years ago, I started taking a dance class. Through this class, I met a group of pagans from a larger town about an hour away from where I currently live. I was invited to a few public rituals and discussion groups and decided to attend. Up to this point, I had lived my life and studied my craft as a solitary. It was an eye-opening experience. I discovered you could live openly as a Pagan in the bible belt and the world wouldn’t come to an end. I wasn’t alone. There were others close by who shared similar beliefs. It was more than that though. Everything I witnessed showed me that these people were happy to live publicly as who and what they are. It was then that I decided to step out of the “broom closet” and into the beautiful, healing light of the sun.

There was no great announcement. I simply quit hiding who I was. I started wearing my rosary (a pentagram replacing the cross) in public. I began going to more and more public events and discussion groups. I started sharing and posting openly on Facebook. My world twisted and suddenly everyone knew what I was and it didn’t matter. It wasn’t a big deal because, whether they realized it or not, everyone who knew me wasn’t surprised.

The problem was people who didn’t know me. The problem was those who noticed my rosary when I wore it in public. The problem was comments from strangers when I would take my children to play at the park. The problem was being accosted in the check-out line when I went to pay for my groceries. They would demand to know if I knew what the pentagram meant, ask me about devil worship, preach to me about sin, and suggest churches that could help me come to know Jesus. It didn’t happen every day, but it happened often enough to begin wearing a rough spot on my soul. I found myself placing a foot back into that dark, lonely “broom closet” and I didn’t like the feeling. I didn’t want to go back.

So, I made my rule. If someone approached me in public, I would smile, offer a hand shake, and attempt to exchange names. Most of time, it changed the dynamic of the confrontation and lead to real conversations about the nature of our differing religious beliefs.  If they refused, we were done interacting. If you don’t care enough to learn my name, you don’t get to discuss the possible damnation of my soul. So far, this rule has severed its purpose and I am much happier for it. It’s here to stay. In my day-to-day life, my rule isn’t going away.

I’ve reached a weird point in my magical journey. I feel, all at once, like the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. I’ve spent most of my life as a solitary so there’s still a never-ending tide of things I need to learn. I feel very much like the Maiden taking her first steps down the path of a lifetime. At the same time, I’m not starting out fresh; there are years of study that lay behind me. Over the past few years, as I have become more and more public in my beliefs, others have begun to reach out. Friends, family, and acquaintances have started asking for guidance in starting their own magical journeys and finding their own paths.

What is this?

What does this mean?

What do I need?

How do I do this?

Do I need this?

How do I find my God and Goddess?

What do you do?

I try to approach their questions as openly as I can. I let them know that I am still just as much a student of the craft as they are. I encourage their questions. Chances are, I’ve had to answer the same question for myself in the past. If I don’t have an answer or guidance for them, I probably know someone who does and we can learn together.

Still, I find myself facing a dilemma. Can you teach or offer guidance when you still feel like a student yourself? This question lies at the heart and soul of this blog. I’ve decided that the best way to truly explore my dilemma is to share it. Think Book of Shadows meets daily journal with a little bit of random fun thrown in. I don’t really expect anyone to read this. If you have found it and you’ve made it as far as the end of this first post: Welcome. I hope you stick around while I share my journey and interactions with others in the most open and honest way I can.

I’ve decided to break my rule for this blog because Raven Rivers is not my real name. It’s not a craft name. It’s a name I’ve chosen specifically for use here. I’ve chosen it because the nature of the internet. I’ve chosen it because I want to be as open and honest about my journey as I can and a pseudonym allows me to do that in a way that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. Know also, any names you do see from this point on have also been changed. Any interactions I choose to share will most likely be with people who are still at least partially stuck in that “broom closet” themselves. Because of this, I cannot justify using their real names. This is also why you won’t find links to my personal/private social media accounts. I might consider making Raven Rivers social media accounts in the future if the need arises. Until then, if you wish to join the discussion or have questions of your own, please feel free to do so in the comments below. I ask only 3 things: Remember you are interacting with actual flesh-and-blood humans, Keep it civil, and BE KIND.

If you’re still interested in sticking around, please check back often as this blog grows and develops. I plan on making posts that include personal thoughts on current events, Spell-of-the-Day, personal experiences that will read a lot like journal posts, and educational posts. If there's something you're interested in learning more about, comment below and I'll try to include it in future posts. Like always, if it's something I don't know about, I love learning along with you. 

Until we meet again:

Peace, Love, and Incense,

Raven Rivers