The Door to Faerie

There’s been a lot written about how to move from one world to another, about portals and gates and doors in hedges. In shamanism, one of the doors to the lower world is often found in the roots of a tree. Most of us danced in fairy rings that we saw in yards as children, wondering if fairies would be invited by the sounds of our laughter or the ultra-tantalizing lawn sprinklers we played in.

I’ve had a few fairy circles around. One showed up in the backyard and stayed for a couple years, then vanished. One was made entirely of mushrooms when a neighbor cut down a tree…I always thought of that as the tree’s spirit still reaching out. And now that I’ve got a pretty lush garden going, other little portals and doors are in the making.

This is one of them. Three or four years ago, I bought a fairy rose in a plastic bag at the local discount store. I am notoriously bad with roses, I should confess. I’ve tried various kinds, but the only ones I’ve had success with are dog roses, prairie roses, and Don Juan climbers. One year, I picked up five or six beautiful white JFK roses, but they didn’t make it over the winter. So…I had some hopes for the fairy rose.

I have never pruned the fairy rose. Now, it’s taller than my head, and its canes brush the ground like a weeping willow. The flowers are flat and tiny and white…just gorgeous. This rose has surpassed all my expectations. It’s hard to see what’s under there; I imagine that this is probably where the backyard rabbits are raising their little ones. It’s hard to see what’s under there…maybe a door to faerie?

Do you have any mysterious gates and doors on your property where fairies might lurk? Have you ever made a fairy garden? I’m curious…perhaps if I build it, they will come! 

My Magical Garden: Irises

My yellow irises, also called “water flags,” are blooming now. There’s nothing like the dark, sweet smell of an iris, I think. Some of mine are more fragrant than others. I grow some burgundy ones that are the most heavily-fragranced and some blue-violet ones that have a very subtle scent.

Did you know that irises are a magical plant? They’re ruled by the element of water, and great to use in all kinds of water magic involving emotions. I tend to plant mine in the corresponding west area of the garden, though I have some yellow ones coming up in the south. Before I plant flowers, trees, and herbs, I try to figure out what area of the garden corresponds with them magically, and to put them there when I can. Sometimes, conditions don’t always cooperate. But I can usually put them in another direction based on color. Our backyard garden is something of a large (and ever-growing) circle, and I like to think of it as my outdoor, permanent magic circle. The directions are marked out, and I’ve kept areas clear for entrance points at the cross-quarter points.

Back to the iris! Irises are sacred to the goddesses Hera and Juno, especially in their blue or purple forms. They’re also associated with Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, and Isis. I tend to like the blue irises as offerings for Isis. Yellow irises make fine offerings to her son, Horus.

 In magical workings, irises of all shades are wonderful for workings involving love, luck, inspiration, and creativity. When I put a vase of irises on my desk, I swear that I’m more productive with creative work.

They’re also associated with mental focus, clarity, and willpower (especially the yellow ones). If you’re facing a project deadline, it doesn’t hurt to put a few in your work area, especially on the west side of your desk. Blue irises are associated with wealth, and this year I’m going to try to press one of the flowers and tuck it in my wallet.  

Do you grow irises? Where do they grow in your garden? 

A Little Rain Magic

We’ve had rain for days now – deluges, sprinkles, and steady pattering of rain on grey days. It’s made me a little cranky, because I haven’t had the chance to be out in the garden.

But rain is great for magical work! I sometimes save a little bit in a bowl and bring it inside for some divination. I sit in a dark room light a candle near the bowl. This tends to be more dramatic-looking if the bowl is black – it really lends that scrying mirror effect. If I get it just right, the flame looks like the moon on water. It’s great for meditation. I zone out and usually get some great insights.

Here’s a little bit of magic that’s good for releasing things that no longer serve you. These can be habits, people, feelings, or pretty much anything else. I have several flat stones in my garden that I sometimes write these things on with chalk. When it rains, the drops wash the words away. I visualize these things being rinsed away from my life. For an extra magical punch, I recommend doing this during a waning moon. You can also put a stone in each of the four directional quarters (east, south, west, and north), plus one in the center for spirit, and write your petition to the elements on each one.

I may snag a bit of rainwater today to put into my bath for a little extra purification mojo. Do you have any rain secrets you’d like to share? 

The Magic of Redbuds

Spring has finally come to my neck of the woods. The tulips are pushing up through the ground, the daffodils are blooming, and my favorite sign of spring is here…the blooms on redbud trees! One grows very close to where we live, and the moon gets tangled in it often. It was really lovely to see it blooming during the pink full moon this year.

Redbud trees are all about the magic of love and new beginnings for me, from the first pink buds in early spring to the heart-shaped leaves that will emerge in a few weeks. I’ve heard superstitions of restless spirits being drawn to redbuds, but I haven’t (yet) had that experience.

I have a couple of redbud rituals to share. When a branch is blooming, I cut a piece for my altar to enjoy some of the first flowers of spring. I pop it in a vase with a rose quartz at the bottom and make a wish. When the flowers begin to wilt, I take it outside on a windy day.  I strip the blossoms from the branch and cast them to the winds, remembering my wish. I suspect this is a holdover from wishing on dandelions as a little girl.

When the heart-shaped leaves are full and leathery, in late spring or early summer, I sometimes write a wish on a leaf and bury it. I’m convinced that the earth can ruminate solutions to my dilemmas better than I can!

What’s blooming in your area right now? Any blossoms that you’d like to cast to the wind or water?   

Meeting Magic Half Way, Part III: Secondhand Magic (All About Cleaning Pre-Owned Magical Items) by Iris Groveland and Belle Bramble

Iris and I were chatting the other day about magical tools. We both like to haunt thrift shops and secondhand bookstores, so many of our magical tools have histories. We’ve got stones, books, cards, jewelry, and many other things used for mundane and magical purposes.

Feng Shui tends to frown upon secondhand items, and many magical folks won’t use tools that have belonged to other practitioners. Granted, sometimes things can come with negative histories – whether they’re teacups or Tarot cards. But there’s no need to fear the secondhand! Re-using and re-purposing all manner of magical stuff is good for the environment and the wallet. Iris and I are here to share our tips and tricks for cleaning magical tools to give them a fresh start.

Belle: I tend to accumulate a lot of books and Tarot cards, magical and otherwise. For used paper items like this, I give them a good dusting with salt and blow it away outside. Passing particularly energy-sticky books and cards through some incense or sage smoke also works. For books that are a little stinky, popping them in the freezer for a week or so seems to help, followed by spreading open the book in sunshine for an afternoon outdoors. I’m sure my nosy neighbors are quite intrigued by my reading material, but that works for me!  Whenever I get a new deck of cards, I also envision the deck in a bubble of white light from the Goddess, introduce myself, and ask for their assistance as I work.

Iris: The first used deck I ever received was such a mixed bag. On one hand, the deck felt dirty. It was just a Rider Waite deck that clearly had a lot of miles on it, and there’s something about that which I quietly respect. I didn’t touch them for years, and I’ve still never done a reading with them. And the only times they came out were as a prop for live action role-playing. I kept them wrapped in a dish towel I had tie-dyed once upon a time, so at least they were wrapped in something bright and cheery. But I never could bring myself to get rid of them and I’ve had them for probably 20 years. I still may never use them for reading, but I felt that they were simply now mine. I honestly feel here that an item will carry the energy you allow it to, and that we need to remember our own energy, our own intent and will, and take control over those feelings of ookiness. They live in the same drawer as all my other decks, and while I’ve never formally cleansed them, I just feel they’re OK now. Squatter’s rights, I suppose. They mean something to me as a piece of sentiment, and that has a lovely power on its own.

Belle: That’s a really good point about keeping cards in a bag or cloth to keep them happy. One of my good friends made me a lovely quilted bag that my go-to deck lives in. Most of my other decks seem to wind up living in scarves or cigar boxes. So many decks wind up smelling like tobacco!

How about stones? For magical stones, I do a quick internet search to see if the stone I want to clean is water or salt-friendly. I learned that lesson the hard way – I soaked a beautiful selenite egg in salt water overnight and ruined the shiny finish. For most ordinary stones, like quartz, a good soak in salt water cleans most of the gunk out and makes them sparkly fresh again. I feel that stones are endlessly programmable. They’re far older than any human who has ever held them, and saltwater, rainwater, or even burying them in the ground for a little while leaches any stuck or negative energy in them.  

Iris: Oh  yeah, check the water solubility first! And I agree with you; stones are tough. They sat in the raw earth for hundreds of thousands of years, withstanding all kinds of temperature and environmental changes and catastrophes. A little soap and water is not going to hurt them (unless it will in certain cases). Here, my trusty tools are simply an old toothbrush (a house cleaning necessity in any case) and soap and water (usually dish soap). They all go to the kitchen sink and get a good scrub. The toothbrush and soap are especially helpful with the raw stones, whose jagged edges are dust magnets. I like doing this on a nice, sunny day (usually one of the first as spring is emerging) or sometimes, I’ve done it on a rainy day. After everyone is spit polished, I set them outside to dry. In my apartment, I was lucky to have a little balcony they could sit on without being disturbed, but a sunny windowsill where they might not be an option will suffice, unless you have cats who like to knock things over, then you might need to improvise. To me, the sunshine itself does more of a thorough cleansing and blessing than I could do. They just feel better afterward. On a rainy day, I feel like the natural rain water is a also a blessing on its own. What could be a better rinse than that? Any natural water is going to pack just as much punch as I could. 

Belle: Yesss! Natural water is amazing. I keep a rain barrel for such purposes. I am really hoping someday to have property with a creek or stream, because that would be all kinds of handy! I’d probably be grabbing some of it to do magical laundry.

Speaking of which, I picked up a wonderful cape at a thrift store last year. I put it in the washing machine on the delicate cycle and put a bit of salt in with the cold water (spot-testing it first, of course). I sometimes feel like this is cheating in terms of clearing, but it seems to work. Similarly, I consider any stones that have gone through a cold wash cycle in my jeans pockets to be thoroughly cleansed. Because I’m lazy like that.

Iris: Same here! Work smarter, not harder! I use essential oils a lot in laundry anyway, and a little can go a long way toward not only making things smell good, adding extra bacteria-killing power, but putting the smack down on any bad energy that may have snuck in there. This can go for second hand goodies as well as something like your work clothes. Maybe it was just a day where you had people that were constantly assaulting even your stoutest protections and you just want to take the extra step. A few drops of sage oil in the rinse cycle and we’re done. I love the idea of cheating with a pinch of salt in lieu of oils, though. It’s not just for dinner, folks! Also, I feel that the ability to line dry clothing is also a big thing here. To me, there is nothing that is going to clear something out better than Nature’s own handiwork. Some sunshine and a nice breeze will make anything feel fresh and new, no matter how it came to you. Often, because I am also lazy, things get left on the line in the rain, and that’s OK, too. Line drying is not only a great environmental alternative; it’s actually easier on your clothes or other textiles in the long run, and a little extra rinse can add a nice natural freshness on all levels.

Belle: Oooh, I love that! I have some wool dryer balls that I keep forgetting to use oil with. And I agree with you about line-drying. I swear, sunshine has a smell. There’s nothing that improves my sleep more than sun-dried sheets.

Iris: Sun dried sheets are the best. There is nothing like them at the end of the day.

Belle: What do you think about cleaning statuary and other fragile bits and bobs? I have a really lovely polymer clay statue of Bast on my altar. I dust it, but have a hard time figuring out how to clean it, because it’s so darn fragile.

For things that are glass, I often cheat and use the dishwasher. I put glass candleholders (which are often mason jars for me) into the freezer first to pop off all the crudded-on wax and send ‘em through the dishwasher with a handful of salt and a bit of vinegar in the rinse-aid reservoir.

Iris: I love a fat, dry paint brush for cleaning the more fragile items that maybe can’t take any soap or water or even dusting polish. It gets the dust off without scratching any delicate paints or finishes, it gets in all the crack and crevices, and while this may sound like the pinnacle of laziness, I find it gives you a little one-on-one time with the object at hand. Because you have to pay attention to what you’re doing, you get tricked into a mindfulness exercise and I find myself talking to the object at hand, sort of checking in with how it’s feeling. It’s a wonderful time to focus your intent without any grand set up. I have a carved wooden Mother Mary figure from the Black Forest region in Germany and she’s just a treasure (she’s my Goddess stand-in a la The Mists of Avalon). This is a great time to say “thank you” for the gifts that object brings you as you give them a little refreshing bath.

My dreamcatchers are another group of items that require physical cleaning as well as cleansing and here again, the paint brush is my best friend. It’s gentle enough to get the dust off of the webbing and maybe even off any feathers, beads, yarn or other soft ornamentation. I love to hang them outside for a time, again, on a nice sunny or breezy day (No rain this time! Don’t want to get them wet!). Just like we talked about in making sure you give negative energy somewhere to go by opening a door or window, I like to clean my dream catchers outside. Obviously, the dust gets blown away and doesn’t just resettle elsewhere, but again, the wind and the sun and the collective spirit of Nature gets a chance to clean out that webbing on an energetic level better than I could.  Our tools work hard for us, and just like fishermen need to tend to their nets, I feel like giving my dream catcher webbing a breath of fresh air in lieu of my bad dreams is my way of saying thank you. I mean, I have to clean my coffee pot now and again, too, in order to keep it working properly. Why should my magical tools be any different?

Belle: Those are wonderful ideas. And I love the idea of taking time to thank our tools properly. Thank you so much for coming by to chat with me today! I really appreciate your advice in this area!

Readers…do you have any tips or tricks for cleaning your magical gear? Anything that’s particularly easy or difficult to clean? If so, let us know!

Meeting Magic Half Way, Part II: That Which No Longer Serves You

Please welcome back guest blogger Iris Groveland for more in her Meeting Magic Half Way series!

Meeting Magic Half Way

Part II
That Which No Longer Serves You

by Iris Groveland

                I took a yoga class where the teacher said something that completely changed how I look at not only my poses and what I was capable of in class, but, as cheesy as it sounds, many aspects of my life in general. “Do what serves you.” It sounds simple enough, really. Don’t do what doesn’t benefit you. But the simplicity of that is perhaps what makes it so easy to miss as a decision-making concept.

                When we talk about meeting magic half way in regards to cleaning up our space and clearing out perceived or actual demons, what we’re really talking about is clearing out old, stale, or negative energy in order to create a space where we can really create, grow and thrive, both physically and metaphysically. Cleaning up the dust and the cat litter and putting toys away is great, but when we take it a step further, we’re really talking about is honest self-examination. We talked about making sure we clean our mirrors to allow us an opportunity for clear reflection and in that spirit, we’re going to be using reflection to help us deal with the demons that might be weighing us down without our knowledge: Our stuff.

                De-cluttering can be an inclusive part of your collective cleaning/cleansing process or it can easily be an independent exercise, as it does require its own, unique sort of energy and intention. Be aware that it’s not something that has to happen all in one go, either. It is a steadily flowing thing, like a small stream that’s gently bubbling away in the background, reminding you to stay, as my Drill Sergeant was keen on saying, “flexible as water.” Stay mindful and stay present, just like you would in a ritual, but be aware of the flow of your own energy. Be forceful when you need to, but don’t rush. Keep your intention clear or, as with magic, results may vary, and not always in your favor. We’re fighting demons, people. Keep your head on a swivel.

                MENTAL/EMOTIONAL HEALTH DISCLAIMER:  My experience in this comes from years of moving (as many young adults do in the beginning of their independent lives), often in small, shared spaces, and the loss of my parents and my last grandparent over three years’ time. My own work was as much the process of grieving as it was the physical process of reducing, and doing so responsibly. I cannot say that I don’t have regrets or that circumstances were always such that I could take my time. However, even without the loss of someone, there will be no uncertain work of real, true blue LETTING GO on all levels, so I want to take a moment to honor the work we will be doing. As you go forth, the balancing act will be between staying on task and being gentle with yourself.  Just like going into battle, a blind, headlong rush usually just ends up in injury. Take your time. Strategize. Set goals. Make lists. One day at a time. One box at a time. You will emerge stronger, but not if you stretch yourself too far, too fast. Just like you ground and center before a ritual, make sure you take the time to do the same, as it will seem overwhelming at times.

               

As we mentioned, this is going to be a time of reflection that may very well border on meditation. There is not necessarily any right or wrong place to start, and some points will be more obvious or easier than others. Clothes that your kids have outgrown is too easy and, like we talked about, something that happens on a fairly regular basis. But if we’re talking about our magical lives, or taking care of our spirit, there are questions we need to ask ourselves, and these questions easily double for the mundane stuff in our “normal” lives.

Does this object hold the same meaning for me as when I first acquired it? How has that meaning changed? Does it feel empty? Is there sorrow or any negative association attached to this item? Is there any hint of hesitancy with the item?

Did I acquire it because I thought I had to? What did I acquire as a one-time use only item? This is a really good question when going through your magical tool box and altar set ups.

When was the last time I actually used this item? This is where I will play with timelines. If I honestly cannot remember the last time I wore/used something, chances are that it’s only taking up space. Or, if I’m still waffling, I’ll set a deadline. I’ll actually speak to the item: “OK, you. If I haven’t used/worn you by _x-amount of time/date/season_, then you’ve got to go.

Is my sacred space dirty because there are so many things on it that the task of cleaning it starts to feel like way too much work? (This is a very big red flag that some simplification is in order.) Your sacred space could be your kitchen, your desk, your craft table, your garden shed, or something as simple as a windowsill. It can be a good starting point as any place that should make you say “Ahhhh,” in terms of peaceful relief, but instead makes you say, “Ugh,” as though you just saw your ex in the grocery store.

If at any point, you open a box or a closet and hear yourself saying, “Oh! I forgot I even had this,” this is a clue. If you forgot you even had it, chances are better than not that you don’t need it.

You may often be mired down by what others will tell you, and like wading through a thick swamp, this also takes effort and dedication to navigate. It will be exhausting at times, requiring a lot of smiling and nodding while you do what serves you behind the scenes of others’ expectations. For example, I had (and still do) an attic full of antiques after losing so many family members over such a short time. My ears were filled with “Some of those might be valuable, so don’t just throw them away.” From a magical perspective, you may get a lot of opinions about the “proper” way to dispose of any kind of semi-sacred item. Tracking down the value and finding a buyer for every antique bud vase I inherited could be a full time job on its own. Likewise, it could be that your sacred items are only as sacred as the intention you had assigned to them. To someone looking at it on a shelf at the local thrift shop, it’s just a figurine. It seriously is.

Sentimental value is a hard field of play, but again, honest introspection is your battle buddy here. Stuffed animals, your children’s drawings and school projects, your hair band concert t-shirts, your grandmother’s costume jewelry; all of it full of wonderful associations, probably, but how many times have you moved that storage bag and never unpacked it, let alone wore any of it? I know those are your grandma’s sweaters, but maybe just keep one or two and donate the rest. My mom worked at a hardware store for thirty years and was a gardener. Her wardrobe consisted of worn, stained Carhartt jeans and logoed shirts from the store. I had someone take the jeans and work shirts and make them into a quilt for myself and my niece and nephew. When we were cleaning out my dad’s house, he had a flannel shirt collection that would have stood up against any Cabella’s catalog. My brother and I each took one. Grandma’s costume jewelry went to my niece so she could start her dress-up stash.

Without children of my own, there is an active thought that I will serve others best by not leaving a pile of stuff to sort through to take to the dump. But even with a family to keep in mind, we need to be honest about perceived value vs. real value. There is a lot of good honest advice found in an article linked here: http://www.nextavenue.org/nobody-wants-parents-stuff/.

What does all this have to do with your demons and your magical life? A clean space means a free flow of energy. A freed up space in a closet will mean freed up space in your head. Dumping that box will mean cleaning out a dusty corner of your heart you’d been avoiding. Coming face to face with our past can mean staring into the eyes of the things holding you back.

What have you gotten rid of that made you feel free at last?

In the next part of this series, Belle and I invite you to take part in a conversation regarding housekeeping of our magical tools and other management strategies for our sacred accoutrement. She gave you great ideas for sprucing up your Spring altar, so we’re going to use that as a spring board (oh, puh intended, why not?) to talk about the general upkeep issues we face when talking about cleaning sacred items in a mundane fashion, or what it means to acquire second-hand tools.

                

Nine Ideas for Your Spring Altar

Spring is nearly here. The silent trees are beginning to bud out. Daffodils are starting to bloom. The grass beneath the snow has turned from blonde to green again. I drove past a field today and saw that someone was already tapping the sap from maple trees.

Each season, I cleanse and clear my altar thoroughly. I take everything off of it: statues, cauldron, remnants of long-term spells, candles, focal objects, oils, stones and feathers. I’ll be scraping away remaining wax from completed spells and shaking the ash out into the garden. What is completed is removed and returned to earth.

I sweep my altar clean with a small besom for this purpose, and sometimes I sage it. There’s a mirror behind my altar, which I think enhances magical workings. I clean it thoroughly, so that it’s sparkling.

Some objects are placed right back, as they’re used for all seasons. Statues of deities go right back after being dusted. My iron bucket that I call a cauldron goes back, too. I set it on a wrought-iron plant stand with feet, and I feel comfortable burning candles there (with supervision), of course. The rest of the altar is a blank slate, and here are some things I’ll be including on mine to welcome spring:

1. Eggs. Eggs are the perfect symbol of Ostara, of new beginnings and new life.
2. I’ll tuck a couple of these into nests that I found at the craft store. I’ve never been able to convince myself to pluck a nest out of the wild, even when I know it’s not being used. I just worry that I’m taking away a potential home from a critter. Nests remind me to focus on home and spring cleaning at this time.
3. Flowers. At this time for me, daffodils and hyacinths are blooming. In magic, daffodils are all about new beginnings. And hyacinths bring peace – which I can sorely use at the end of winter. Live plants are also a great choice. I often leave packets of seeds on my alter until I’m ready to plant them. They’re beautiful and I like to think that sitting on my altar gives them a little bit of extra spark!
4. If you want to include pictures of goddesses on your altar, Demeter and Persephone are good choices. Persephone returns from Hades every year for six months to the arms of her mother, and the earth blooms.
5. Floral and herbal scents. Any floral or herbal scent in a candle or oil that appeals to you is perfect for spring. I tend to be interested in spicy scents for fall, such as orange and citrus, and crisp wintery scents for when the days are cold. Spring seems perfect for any flower or even the scent of fresh-cut grass.
6. A spring altar cloth. I like to change out altar cloths with the seasons. My current winter one is a remnant of white lace with a pattern of stags in it. For spring, I’ll swap out a table runner with an abstract floral design in green and violet. An altar cloth can be anything – a fabric remnant, a table runner, a placemat or charger plate, a scarf, a folded curtain valance or tablecloth – anything that gives you joy.
7. A garland. I have some garland left over from my wedding many years ago that I like to drape around my mirror to decorate for spring. If you have a wreath or other botanical-inspired decoration, hanging it on the wall near the altar (but beyond the reach of candle flame) can be a very nice touch that symbolizes the Wheel of the Year.
8. Stones that remind me of spring. Some of my favorites for spring are very soft: rose quartz, angelite, agates, opalite, and amazonite. I put them in a bowl and they remind me of candy.
9. Candles in spring-friendly colors. I have a soft green candle that smells like sage that will be perfect for dressing up my spring altar. There’s another one that I can’t wait to work with that’s a soft yellow, and it’s supposed to smell like sunshine!

I also add a few items to symbolize current projects I’m working on through the moon cycle. There’s a small figure of a mermaid there, now, for example, to remind me of a story I want to complete. And there’s a silver dollar to remind me to save money.

The important thing to remember in setting an altar is to first clean it, then place objects back with intention. Only keep current items for current workings. And make sure that you have items that represent each of the five elements, such as images of deities or ancestors for spirit, stones for earth, a chalice for water, candles for fire, and scented oils or incense for air. Above all, make certain that you have a space where you can supervise the use of these items safely.

How will you be sprucing up your altar to welcome spring in the coming days?