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How To Make..........
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Brigids Crown
Brighid is the goddess who reminds us that spring is around the corner. She watches over hearth and home, and this craft project combines her position as firekeeper with that of fertility goddess. Make this crown as an altar decoration, or leave off the candles and hang it on your door for Imbolc.
You'll need the following supplies:
A circular wreath frame, either of straw or grapevine
Winter evergreens, such as pine, fir or holly
Spring flowers, such as forsythia, dandelions, crocus, snowbulbs
Red, silver and white ribbons
Candles at least 4" long -- tapers are perfect for this
A hot glue gun
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 1 hour
Here's How:
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Place the wreath form on a flat surface. Using the hot glue gun, attach the candles around the circle.
Next, attach a mixture of winter greenery and spring flowers to the wreath. Blend them together to represent the transition between winter and spring. Make it as thick and lush as you can, weaving in and around the candles.
Wrap the ribbons around the wreath, weaving between the candles. Leave some excess ribbons hanging off, if you plan to hang this on your door or a wall, and then braid it or tie in a bow. If you're using it on an altar, light the candles during rituals to honor Brighid.
What You Need:
A wreath form
Winter greenery and spring flowers
Candles
Ribbons
Patti Wigington
Make A Brigid Bed
One of the things many people find most appealing about Wicca and Paganism is that the deities are not distant entities who never interact those who honor them. Instead, they drop in on us regularly, and Brighid is no exception. To show hospitality to her on Imbolc, her day of honor, you can make a bed for Brighid to lie in. Place it in a position of comfort, as you would for any visitor. Near your hearthfire is a good spot -- if you don't have a fire burning, in the kitchen near the stove is equally welcoming.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 30 minutes
Here's How:
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The Brighid's bed is simple to make -- you'll need a small box, or basket. If you want to keep things basic, just line it with a towel or a folded blanket (receiving blankets are perfect for this). If you want to put a little more effort in, stitch up a "mattress" by sewing two rectangles of fabric together, and stuffing them with down or fiberfill. Place this in the basket, and make a pillow in the same manner. Finally, place a warm blanket over the top, and put the bed near your hearth fire.
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If you've made a Brighid doll, even better! Place her in the bed before you go to sleep at night. If you don't have a Brighid doll and don't wish to make one, you can use a broom or besom to represent Brighid instead. After all, the broom is an old symbol of female power and the fertility that Brighid represents.
If you want to bring fertility and abundance into your home this year, make sure Brighid doesn't get lonely in her bed. Place a Priapic wand in there with her to represent the god of your tradition. Remember -- fertility doesn't just mean sexuality. It also applies for financial gain and other abundance.
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Once Brighid is in her bed, you can gather around the hearth fire with your family, and welcome your guest with the traditional greeting, spoken three times:
Brighid is come, Brighid is welcome!
Leave candles burning beside Brighid throughout the night - place them in a dish of sand or dirt for safety considerations. If you need inspiration in a matter, or wish to work some divinatory magic, stay up throughout the night and meditate, asking Brighid for guidance.
Tips:
- If you're trying to concieve a child, place the wand across Brighid in an X shape. This forms the rune "gifu", which means "gift". Another option is to place nuts and seeds in the Brighid's bed as well.
What You Need:
- A small box or basket
- Soft, warm blankets or cloth
- A Brighid doll, if you've made one
How To Make & Store Holy Water or Sacred Water
Holy Water Carrier for potions and for special purposes.
Keywords: Sacred Water, Holy Water, Programming Water, Healing Water, Carrier Water For Potions, Spell Water, Magic Water.
Holy Water has been around since the dawn of time and in homeopathic circles it is well known that just placing a glass of clean water onto a piece of paper with the prescription written on it will replicate the effects of giving the actual tincture most precisely.
It stands to reason that one of the most useful prescriptions you can make to any client is a very personalized potion in a nice bottle with instructions as to how often it should be taken.
To facilitate this and do it right, here are the instructions:
• Use any water source that is both safe in the Hard way as well as attractive to you when you tune into it in all the other ways. I make the safety note because pretty magical brooks these days can be laced with just about anything and we do want our patients to get better, in general. Unless you can be sure what you are doing with water not tested for various basic safety standards, I might recommend bottled water in the absence of any personal preference on the subject you might have.
• There is merit in lightly tinting the water with a natural colour. The effects on the purity are offset more than enough by the added placebo power to the owners and caretakers. Studies have shown conclusively that the placebo effect rises sharply when green pills that are hexagonal are used instead of the usual white, round ones. It simply helps to believe if there is something to see.
• As you prepare a number of bottles of Sacred Water (and please be sure to follow all standard hygiene procedures) you may charge them with a general sense of Even Flow and steady support of a very deep level and soothing nature. This is better than to not think of anything and imprint the wrong ideas as you consider your shopping list!
• Store the template bottles in a wooden box and preferably wrapped in silk which is a good protector against accidental imprinting and keep them in a place that is neutral and supportive as far as environmental energies are concerned.
• For template bottles, neutral is the name of the game. The patient is not yet known and not every patient needs further energising as we have discussed.
• When the time comes to dedicate the Sacred Water, hold the client in consciousness and hold the bottle in both hands.
• Affixing a label that states the patient’s name and desired outcome, written out once again with intent and from a place of knowing that you are preparing a Healing Star in all ways, will keep the intention locked into the water even when it is stored under unhelpful circumstances and being handled by possibly energetically unbalanced people.
• Even so, the imprint in the Sacred Water does wear off over time because of the many energetic influences around and after being handled repeatedly. Have a notion as to how much should be used so that the bottle would be empty before this has occurred and build this into your prescription.
• When working with Sacred Water, you need to get your mind off the idea that you are dealing with Hard medicine in order to be able to widen your focus and thoughts as to what can and what cannot be imprinted. You can prescribe literally anything at all you can conceive of or hold in consciousness – from happiness to peace, from balance to song, from colour to the Northern Lights – it is all there for you to pass along in the form of the Healing Star so don’t limit yourself to just prescribing “Sophie’s Eczema Potion”, useful as though that is.
• When “prescribing potions”, please be excruciatingly careful with the laws of the land where you are practicing. In some places you cannot say such words at all, in some places you cannot sell Sacred Water, in some places the addition of the natural food colorant may cause a breach of some form of food, supplement or medication law. Check it out and if you are in doubt, ring your local agency and ask someone directly, then get their advice in writing so you are safe in the Hard with what you are doing.
• Take this very seriously please – this is your responsibility and could have very serious repercussions for you in the Hard if you even unwittingly or unknowingly transgress the rules that govern such things where you live.
Holy Water, Sacred Water - Excerpt From Energy Healing For Animals Practitioner Course available from The Sidereus Foundation. All Rights Reserved.
Essential Equipment - The Essences Burner
The Essences Burner is a truly essential item for any energy magician. It allows any kind of essence to be "burned" into water, oil, charms, gems, crystals, or indeed any form of material.
In this illustration, a completely available and ordinary oil warmer is used. There are many truly fantastic designs for these on the market, but something as simple as this will do just as well - it is just a miniature cooking stove.
Place the receptor (in this case, a bottle containing oil) on the top of the dish.
In the bottom, place a fine layer of clear quartz crystals. These are going to help "push" the essence up towards the carrier faster and more powerfully.
Now, place the item of essence (in this case a pink rose) inside to become the "fire" beneath the carrier.
Our essence is cooking, and now it is just a question as to how long you keep this until it is done.
Don't overcook your essence!
Source: Magic Spells & Potions
How To Make A Star Stone
 A "star stone" is my term for a crystal or other form of carrier, such as the dichroic cabochon depicted here, which has been charged with stardust - fairy dust, pixie dust, the very magic components of reality itself.
It is used in an essences burner to easily transfer the essence of stardust to a potion or another third party item, or by itself for meditation and renewal, and in rituals.
In order to make a star stone, you have to go to the causal plane and draw the stardust into the stone or carrier here in the hard through your own psychic circuitry.
This is easier than it sounds, and here is the meditation to do it.
1. Hold the stone and close your eyes. If you have any meditation music that isn't too disturbing but can help create a sacred space for you to step across, put it on your headphones. This will help filter out background disturbances and makes it easier to slide into the requisite space.
2. Step across and into the other dimensions. Whatever you see there, remember this is only a translation we make in our minds to make sense of what is happening and we are not dealing with real mountains or trees.
3. Let one after the other all things disappear that are unnecessary until you are left only with ground below and sky above.
4. Now, let go of gravity which is the last component which holds it all together and you will find that everything rises, raises and lifts and becomes stardust - tiny glittering existences of light.
5. Call the stardust to you and into the carrier stone you are holding. Let it stream in until you feel it is fully charged, full up with stardust.
6. Slowly move back into your own space of time and mind, open your eyes and in your hand, there is now an active star stone.
Congratulations!
Source: Magic Spells & Potions
A Dream Pillow
Once upon a time, sleeping beauties laid their heads on pillows perfumed with sweet rushes and dried hops, that is how these little pillows got the name of dream pillows.
All households made wide use of herbs and spices in pillows and sachets, for both the fragrance and medicinal value. Day pillows would release a portion of the fragrance each time someone leaned back against them, dream pillows were placed under the regular pillow or inside the pillowcase. These were used mostly to help promote sleep and pleasant dreams. Even today you can visit many stores worldwide and find dream pillows for sale.
MATERIAL NEEDED:
2 pieces of your choice of material, any size or shape
Herbs and Spices (your choice)
Stuffing (optional)
Needle
Thread
Essential oils (your choice)
Zip Lock baggy
Ribbons and lace (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Making your own dream pillows not only save you money, but using essential oils increases their effectiveness and makes reviving them so much easier. The day before you are going to make the dream pillows take the herbs and spices you have chosen for stuffing and put in the zip lock baggy. Now add several drops of the essential oil or oils of your choice. How many drops to use depends on the size of the dream pillow and the strength of the herbs and spices you are planning on using. With herbs and spices three to four should be sufficient, but if using stuffing fifteen or twenty would be better. Seal bag and shake well to disperse all the oil, leave over night so that the oils will be absorbed completely.
For sleep dream pillows use chamomile, lavender, neroli, marigoram, valerian, nutmeg, or hops. All of these essential oils help promote a restful, goodnight sleep. For the day pillows you might want to consider matching the essential oils with the herbs and spices you have used, or make and match a different fragrance to each different room. Nice ones to start out with are lemon, clary sage, geranium, and sweet orange.
To make your dream pillow all you will need is two pieces of material, any size or shape that you want. Stitch along three sides of the material, then turn it right side out, leaving an opening large enough to add herbs, spices or stuffing. Take the herbs and spice or stuffing out of your baggy and stuff this into your dream pillow, when you have it filled about 3/4 full fold over the ends and stitch closed.
After a few weeks if your dream pillow seems to be losing all its fragrance, here is a way to revive it: open a small corner of the pillow and add a few drops of your essential oils onto the herbs or stuffing and stitch back closed. If you don’t want to go to that trouble then just put a few drops of essential oils on the outside of the pillow and let dry.
With creativity and imagination you can make wonderful tailor-made gifts for family and friends. You can decorate your dream pillow with a number of odds and ends, left over ribbons, buttons, and lace. Sweet dreams.
Written by Kim Draper - © 2002 Pagewise
Dream Catcher
5 inch hoop
4 yd. of leather or whatever material you would like to use to wrap your hoop with.
3 yd. of waxed thread or whatever material you would like to use as the web.
Decorative items could be used such as: conches, beads, or feathers.
Other items needed to make the Dream Catchers are scissors, glue and a clamp or clothe pin.
To Start:
1. You take the leather lace or whatever material you have chosen, and wrap the hoop. This is very time consuming but it is important. You must wrap it tightly, cover the whole hoop, and be careful not to twist the leather. Once you reach the beginning point glue the end of the leather lace to the beginning lace. To keep it in place you can use a clamp, clothespin, or anything that will hold the end leather in place until the glue dries.
2. Start the web by using whatever material you have chosen; and make seven to nine half hitch knots around the hoop. To make a half hitch knot you wrap the thread around the hoop and bring the thread back through the loop you made with the thread and pull tight. (Keep in minds that over time the web may sag so keep things tight)
3. The next steps is to take your thread through the first loop put it in the middle of loop and make a half hitch knot and pull it tight. Continue around the hoop in each loop of thread that you have previously made. Once you get to the center of the hoop and only a small hole is left, you put a double knot in the thread, and cut off the excess thread and glue it to the web.
4. To add the decorative items use long leather pieces about eight-inch long and attach it to the hoop. Wrap it around the hoop and tie it. Then there will be two four-inch strands of leather (I use two eight-inch strands of leather). Then you string your beads on the leather. Whatever beads you like to use or how many beads, is totally up to you. I prefer the silver little beads and long turquoise beads in the middle of the silver beads. When you have the amount you want on the leather strand, you double knot the leather near the bead. The strand will hang down the side of the hoop.
5. You can attach a feather to the bottom of the strand of leather on the side of the hoop, or you can push the feathers up to the end of the last bead or glue them to the leather piece. I put two feathers on each strand. I like to use robin feathers, pheasant feathers, or turtledove feathers. You can buy any feathers you would like from a hobby store. The Indians used eagle feathers but it is against the law to do so now. The Indians need special permits to use feathers from eagle.
6. To finish your Dream Catcher, at the top of the hoop put a concho with a leather strand around the hoop and tie it in a double knot. You can add feathers, beads, or any other decorative item you would like.
You also can put a bead within the web of the Dream Catcher. It is the belief that a bead in the web catches strength and knowledge from the dreams, floating in the air and then it is sent to the one whom is sleeping with the Dream Catcher near him/her. Several people will also put a lizard on their web, a gecko, signifies a dreamer.
A Dream Catcher costs from twelve to twenty-four dollars to make. They are beautiful and make for interesting conversation among people. Whether you believe the legend, myths, or traditions of a Dream Maker, or if you just like it as a craft, it is unique and simple to make. They make great gifts. Have wonderful dreams!
Poppet
A Poppet is a simply constructed doll of cloth or wax (sometimes, just a head on a peg) used in the practice of sympathetic folk magic. The doll is meant to represent a person, and may be decdorated with a person's clothes, filled with their hair or nail clippings, etc. The practice is most often associated with "voodoo," but is actualy a western european practice.
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