Wittering on… 25/05/16 – New Directions, Oracle Decks and Back to Posting

 I’ll start with getting back to posting on my blog. I had a colossal downtime which was not just a break from posting but also a break from practising… I have barely been witchy for 18 months with the exception of a few bright spots when I’ve felt a passing inspiration flirting with me, I haven’t been able to hold onto to it for a long time. It has kept me disappointed in myself that I was unable to manifest the energy, inspiration or self-esteem to keep putting my practice out there. Nothing particularly brought me down into that funk but it was one of those situations that with the level of enthusiasm I started with and which I maintained for over a year… attacking study of Runes and Ogham ferociously and reinterpreting them for myself, I burned myself out, mentally and spiritually. There have been several times when I thought I was ready to come back but it was that mirage effect – one or two posts and I was once again plunged into that place of lacking. I did finally get the message and stopped trying to get back, trusting that it would happen in its own time and when I felt a desire to practice and write again, it would just happen because I felt a spiritual urge to do it. The desire to write was a hard thing to let go of and I mourned the loss of it; the level of trust in finding my path again was also very difficult to maintain given that I was doing nothing to guide myself back to it. However, the clouds have parted and I am invigorated with a new sense of magick and spirituality which will become apparent as I once again take up my studies of all things witchy (hopefully with a little more self control). So, to what I will be posting:

«     Rune Interpretations/Rune Magicks. These are the posts that did me in last time I was posting; I love runes as a method of divination and of magick but because of that I get engrossed so they will be coming back but in a less involved form – she said with fingers crossed. I am almost completed with Raido, the rune that knocked me on my spiritual ass for over a year but it has been a difficult energy to wrangle and work with so is currently on the back burner. My next rune will be Kenaz which I hope to work on through June… there will still be two categories to my rune posts, both interpretations and magicks so please watch this space for those posts.

«     Magick of the Day. I loved having this idea and it started last year with the concept of looking at the magick of days; it began with looking at Sunday magicks and though I was very happy with that post, it was one of those bright spots in the darkness of my magickal slump which was born of a brief awakening from my spiritual slumber. So in case you didn’t see the original post, this idea evolved from posting about magicks to perform on certain days of the week into posting everyday on a magickal energy – a colour, a crystal, a herb, an oil, a day, an hour, a moon phase, etc. I might make it Magick of the Week so it’s not so difficult to keep up with but it will be regular posting on something witchy.

«     Spell Spin. I’m not sure about this idea anymore; I loved it originally, the concept being to put my spin on different spells published in popular spell books. The problem with continuing with this is that I don’t really use published spells anymore… for the last 10 years I have written my own spells and rituals for a higher energy, deeper connection and more dedicated intention. I was writing my own spells when I started the section and so posted spells that I had changed/evolved to my taste in the past. Unfortunately, I ran out of those but will leave them posted for anyone who would like to see how to adapt a published spell.

«     ‘Reflecting on…’ My reflections will be back, I am currently reflecting on the Sun, given the time of year and it will be a sister post to my Sunday Magick from Magick of the Day. I do however have some very big topics coming up, including: Death, Love, and Curses. As those are big posts, they will be spread out through the year and likely to come in a few parts. I will also have the more light hearted ones, based on philosophies or spiritual memes.

«     Other Stuff. Well, there’s a few other things that I’ve posted in the past… Animal Adoption links, Witchy Hauls, etc and all those little in between posts which I publish when I’m working on more substantial things will be back too so look forward to the recommendations, silliness and craziness… like Fledgewatch from 2014 and exerts from my Book of Shadows, like my Inspiration Page.

Oracle Decks

This is a new direction for me; inspired by the one and only Mandi See, I created an Oracle Deck specifically for her based on the Aspects of Self video she posted. I have already published on this recently so I won’t witter on about it again but I am so pleased that she was happy with them and practically giddy with excitement.

The second deck I am creating is called ‘Daughter of the Morrigan’ for the incomparable Joey Morris. These cards are currently still in the design phase of creation but I am showcasing a few of my favourites:

Oracle Orders

If anyone would be interested in one of my personalised decks, please contact me privately via facebook or email. They take 4-6 weeks to make dependant on whether it is a Self Deck like Mandi’s or a Deity & Self Deck like Joey’s. Price is variable based on size of cards and size of deck but will generally be between £15 and £25. They will have a matching personalised box which I make from scratch. I do not employ a professional printing outlet, this is a hand made product.

25,000 Views - Hurrah!

It is with great pride and pleasure that I announce and celebrate 25000 views of my blog. I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to read my reflections, magicks, rune interpretations and general witchy witterings on all sorts of things. I know my content has been scarce for a while but I am backin full swing of studying and practicing my craft so I will be posting much more frequently from now on. Also, many, many thanks for the comments and feedback everyone has given over the last few years… I consider you all a great asset to me and my future workings.

Much love and many blessings

x)O(x Acantha Rayne x)O(x

Book of Shadows - Spell Pages – Healing Page

Oh, this has been a long time coming. I have wanted to bring this idea to manifestation for so long but for some reason the timing wasn’t right or the energies were off and I just couldn’t bring it out of my mind and into my Book of Shadows. Therefore, it is with a great sigh of relief that I relax my shoulders, breathe deeply and exult in its presence. A true labour love was undertaken to create this amazing working which sends gentle healing energy through the aether to a million recipients for a plethora of ailments, problems and issues that need a little healing energy to nudge them in a more positive direction.

So here we are and my Healing Page is ready for regular application into my practice. It is a two page entry into the ‘Spell Pages’ section of my Book of Shadows…

«     Spell Page: Explanation of the healing energies and the mood and motivation required to send the energies; the ritual method of the spell with the items needed and how to perform the ritual; the element invocation I wrote and employ for…

«     Recipient Page: This is the page that lists the names of those I will be sending healing to; for privacy reasons I will not show that page but in addition to family, friends and requested names to be on the list, I have added the Royal Family, all the Armed Forces, all the emergency services, as well as teacher, social workers, carers, charity workers, foster carers, freedom fighters, and aid workers, etc. All those people who might not necessarily need healing but need something, just a little energy boost. This spell I have devised covers all of those little down-moods, dark days, as well as the aches and pains. 

As it’s not very easy to see the actual working on the image, I have added the write up below. Please feel free to use it as it is or make your own adaptations to suit your practise. I’d love to see any changes you make if you choose to take on this idea for your own Books of Shadows.

The Ritual

·        5 tea light candles or spell candles

·        A healing crystal (Blue Calcite)

1.          Cast a circle, inclusive of calling the quarters, this is vital as this rite utilises them.

2.        Light your working candle, then ground and centre. This is necessary so that when you send you healing, your only energy is in good condition.

3.        Place the candles at the pentacle points on the opposite page and light them. Place the healing crystal in the centre of them. Visualise an energy pentagram over the printed one between the candle flames.

4.       Raise and manifest healing energy to the hands by drawing from the rune and Ogham symbols and using the surrounding rhyme/invocation/chant; this will also charge the energy as it manifests. For me the healing manifests as bluey grey smoke, swirling, pluming and thick.

5.        I push this energy through the visualised pentacle to every person listed, see it travel through the crystal, circling the page, gathering its list of ‘patients’. Visualise it disperse into the aether as it takes your healing out.

Element/Direction Association

I thought I would take the time to mention, as you will probably notice, that the associations between elements and directions are not traditional. This is by design and specifically changed to assist my energy flow during ritual. I’ll go through them individually with the reasoning behind each.

Air/North

This is not an uncommon switch as Earth and Air are often interchangeable between North and East but my choice is based on two things. Firstly, I am an Air sign and therefore I consider this element my personal North; the second reason is because physical air that we breathe is north of the physical earth; everyone on the planet breaths in the air that is above them and around them…this is a connection I will use to send healing.

Fire/East

This decision was based on the Sun. As the largest body in the sky, it feels like the most sensible representation of constant fire and the first place I see it, just like the rest of the world, is in the East as it rises. Again, this connection will be a channel for healing.

Earth/South

I walk with the earth beneath my feet… as does everybody else; the Earth is South of every physical body; this is a connection everyone on the planet shares and I am using this connection as a channel for healing.

Water/West

Quite apart from being the last available pairing, the nearest body of water to me, at least a place where I visit, is in the West. Also as I consider water to be the opposite of fire, it made sense to me to make the directions opposite of these two elements opposite as well. The connection here is that we all use water and so regardless of how we use it, what its condition is or how much or little we have of it… water links us as a form of sustenance.

Many Blessings x)O(x

Book of Shadows - 'Spell Pages'

So this is a new idea for my Book of Shadows – pages which will be incorporated into my spell work. The first will be my Healing Page that has taken me several weeks to develop the chanting for and method of use. Each of these ‘spell pages’ will be two sides of parchment… a spell/method sheet and a recipient sheet and I shall post an image of each one as I create them with the basics of how I use it within my practice.

I love the title page for this section…

I am very much looking forward to creating additions for this section. Please watch this space for my latest workings as they unfold. Many blessings x)O(x 

Deck Creation - The Mandi Oracle

A recent video by the gifted tarot and oracle reader Mandi See inspired me to create an deck based on her varied and admitted personalities. The video describes:

«     Mandi See – the serious, business savvy, organised and focused aspect.

«     Mandi – the fun-loving, adventurous, slightly loopy soul who makes Youtube videos

«     Angela – the siren, the lover, the diva, the glamour model

«     Harmony Love – the hippy-dippy flower child, activist, freedom fighter, she who retains the essence of the 60’s era

«     Jane – a lover of back to basics… plain and simple enjoyment in books and a nature walk and just silly little things that people take for granted

«     Mandi Jane – the daughter, the sister, the girlfriend; the woman you know if you know her in person.

As this is my first foray into creating an oracle deck I thought I’d share the result:

See Mandi’s ‘Aspects of Self’ video here
and her unboxing video of the cards here

Starry Haul 2 (Part 3)

So here we are at Part 3 with the items I chose as part of my Beltane celebrations. Joey is my go-to now for so many things… if I get an errant energy pass me by, my first thought is ‘Oooo, I need a set…. Straight on Facebook…. “Joooooey… I need….”’ I’m sure it’ll start to bug her one day – lol! Well, onto the items:-

May Your Sprites Rise Beltane Votive (pair)

Regular Store Product

This choice was based purely on the title. I had seen the posted video and thought ‘awww, so pretty’, which led to thinking ‘I must, must have this’. As Beltane is one of my favourite Sabbats, I would never have slept again if I didn’t order this and because I like things in twos (possibly because I’m Gemini), I had 2. These votives are beautiful… they make me want to lay in meadows in the raise of a Beltane sunrise, listen to the dawn chorus and just melt gently into the aether. The wax is a warm leafy green which makes me imagine the noon rays of sunlight through a glowing forest canopy of blossom and adolescent leaves. And, oh, the herbals… tiny little bits of sprinkly goodness on top and slightly sunk into that wax – oh, Joey, Joey, Joey!!! There is, of course, also, a shimmery halo of goodness encircling the wick which sparkles as if that sunlight is kissing a tranquil lake. This energy is sublime and peaceful and inextricably bang on!!!

Beltane By Night Votive (pair)

Regular Store Product

Once again my need for duality is apparent… the presence of Sprites rising on my altar meant that Beltane by Night was a completely essential part of my festivities for this Sabbat… into the cart they went. Now, I’d seen the video and so I knew the votives were black, as a candle with a nightime energy it made sense to me they would be black and so I was completely with Joey’s choice for black – understandable. When they arrived and I saw that coppery/golden shimmer on top, I saw the Universe; stars exploding with light, planetary bodies that circle each other, a billion energies shifting and transforming, dancing and swaying in the cosmos. That is just from looking at these votives; when I lit them… WOW!!! All those billion energies became an incredible power concentration burning in that one flame (technically two flames with both votives), this was my Belfire… This took place in my garden; I danced and chanted around these votives, I used them to light by God and Goddess candles because through the energy of Beltane I witness the Great Rite.

May Your Sprites Rise Beltane Herbal Blend

Requested item of an energy already on store

Back to the Sprites… such a gorgeous energy. Now, this blend was big enough that I could save some for next year. I’ll still need to order more but I have saved the ash from this burn and mixed it with the remaining blend which I will then add to the next batch I order to connect this Beltane with the next one. The actual blend has such a sweet scent, I won’t go into too much detail because I respect Joey’s need to keep her recipes private but the chamomile is overwhelming and beautiful. If I hadn’t felt the urge to burn it, I’d have kept the whole thing just to keep sticking my nose in there. It is so stunning and it lifted my personal celebrations into the stratosphere.

Nine Ladies of the Wood Herbal Blend

Regular Store Product

This was the blend I burned for my evening activities at Beltane; it was reverent and awing and incredibly humbling to use this combination of barks and shavings. I felt so connected to the ancient forests with this blend. Again, I have kept enough for another purpose but with this blend that other purpose is meditation. I have meditated on the Nine Ladies of the Wood scent 11 times since Beltane; considering that was only two weeks ago, I’m obsessed. I get extraordinary visions with this energy… I have been taken back in time, I have been in the truly ancient astral forests with these meditations and I really can’t thank Joey enough because my inner calm has reached new levels of groundedness, serenity, tranquility… what this herbal blend has given me, is inner peace.

Starry Haul 2 (Part 2)

This is a set which Joey deemed Priestess of the Cosmos which is a title I have fell in love with and will be incorporating into an Orca tattoo I am treating myself to in the Summer. I am reviewing this set on its own because I was completely awed by its energy which, as I work with this totem all the time, surprised me.

Orca Totem Set

Requested set

*Spell Orb*

This is the only spell orb I have purchased from Starry Eyed Supplies; I’m considering more but because I find them to be such an adept product, adeptly balancing of energies, light and magick, choosing an orb that resonates with you profoundly is enough. Colour is an integral part of this orb…. the purple is the magickal element, prevailing strongly through the other botanicals…. next is the blue/yellow flourishes like the crest of waves as the mighty Orca splashes playfully on the surface of the astral oceans. There are other bits of botanical too which I am either failing to identify or choosing to aid Joey in keeping her recipes protected. I do see a small scroll in there though and a midnight blue ribbon which is reminiscent of an Orca tail and perfectly compliments the colours inside. The last thing I want to mention is the charm… .Joey, my lovely new friend whose talent for this level of crafting awes me, found me Orca charms and for that I love, love, love her!!!

*4 Votives*

I adore votives, they burn long enough for a decent length magickal activity and when I work with my Orca totem I can get so engrossed that I’m at it for hours… I had a 4 hour meditation once just swimming around the astral with Orca. One of the votives is ear-marked for a specific purpose - to be burned while I get my Orca tattoo; the others are waiting for inspiration to strike but as there are 3 remaining I may create a ritual for the Maiden, Mother and Crone aspects of my Cosmic Priestess. So, to the aesthetic – black and white obviously for the mirroring or colour for the actual Orca but this is also reflective of the the title Priestess of the Cosmos… she who is of the cosmic energy… the black of the night sky, the white of the starlight. Also, there is a sneaky slush of purple in the adornment of the surface which is that touch of magick which flows through the sub-consious and explodes in the mind. Joey’s ‘patented’ shimmy shimmy shimmer on the top of the votives is a stunning ocean blue which is possibly self-explanatory but that spray of water from a very large splash is what specifically comes to mind. I will lastly mention the sprinkle of tiny black somethings on the top, not sure what they are but set each votive beautifully.

*Spell Oil*

Oh, what can I say: honey, my cup runneth over… I consider oils the life blood of witchcraft, they ease the flow of magick, they create such a wonderful heady scent, and they make every working better. This spell oil is stunning… the botanicals are balanced perfectly and seem to swim through the oil like they’re Orcas in the ocean. I am in awe of your talent, Joey. I have already told you but I’ll mention it here too… the oil is half gone; I use it to anoint myself when I am journeying… this is whether I’m only working with my totem Orca, Opal, or whether I am doing another working because it makes me feel Opal close regardless of where I am in the astral. 

Starry Haul 2 (Part 1)

This was a bit of a splurge order as I get very carried away with Joey’s products, hence why it will be posted in 3 parts. There is a mix of personally requested items and products which are readily available at www.starryeyedsupplies.co.uk

Sorceresses of Avalon Beeswax Candle Set

Requested (previously on store)

*Morgan Le Fay*

The exquisite energy from this delicate beeswax candle is directly transported through the aether from Avalon… I can feel the druidic power desperately enriching this deep character, bright with magick. I get enveloped and engrossed in this energy but I will try to concentrate… the candle itself is a rich purple set with obsidian chips, approximately 9” tall and completely gorgeous with the signature of ‘shimmy shimmy’ of Joey’s Starry products. The energy of magick is the first thing I felt when I held it… she who languishes in magick, bathes in it, breathes it, she who leaves shadows of magick in her wake. This true Avalonian is a gift from the past.

*Morgause*

The sexual element of this candle is stunning and completely undeniable… a bright pink beeswax taper containing the explosive energy of the Avalonian bombshell. The pink speaks of a sorceress who though comsumed and driven by her sexuality, does not partake in sex because of obligation but because she adores it. The obsidian chips therefore lend to her as the diva, the siren, the wanton, the rampant… she is the eternal embodiment of female sexuality, of womanhood and desire. In the meditation I did with this candle – just holding it – I sensed a warrior element too but a warrior who uses sexuality as a weapon… she who seduces and bewitches by form and pheremone.

*Nimue*

I feel a deep connection to the duality within the mythos of Nimue which I don’t get from the other Sorceresses… she is often considered the Lady of the Lake and therefore the protector of ultimate power; I feel the bluey/lilac colour of this candle represents that stunningly; man, unless pure of heart, cannot wield the power of Excalibur without consumption but Nimue, as Lady of the Lake, can. I feel this is the way to see femininity as the more dominant energy than masculinity… this ability is the bright spot of Yin in the Yang. The other side of Nimue’s mythos is the student of Merlin… she who gains power and let’s that need for power consume her… I think the obsidian against the blue represents this dark greed for more and more… I love both energies of this Avalonian powerhouse.

Large Smudge – Breathe

Store regular

I finally have a full tub of this overwhelmingly yummy scented smudge. I fawned over it my last review so I’ll keep this one brief… I adore the overpowering lavender, the lilac hue and the simplicity of the energy – this smudge is aptly named because I can’t stop breathing it in.

Holly and Oak King Pillars

Personal request

This epic, twice annual battle between the Holly and Oak Kings is one of the few things I’ve carried with me from Wicca when I took my first few steps on this wonderful, wild path of nature and magick. These pillars will beautifully enhance my honouring of these arboreal archetypes –

*The Holly Pillar*

I am using this for Summer Solstice in conjunction with the re-awakening of my Holly wand from it’s hibernation. It’s rich red wax and golden shimmering top makes the perfect host for this magnificent energy and I can’t thank Joey enough for her talented crafting.

*The Oak Pillar*

Wow… from the golden crown through the depth of green that embodies the wax… this pillar is the true embodiment of Oak energy… the Oak King is my masculine archetype and I couldn’t be happier with this representation of Him for my altar. It will be the centre of my empowerment ritual at Winter Solstice when I charge my oak wand with the Oak King energy.