A Witch's Sacred Journey

The Goddesses of Samhain

The Charge of the Dark Goddess and the Great Mother

Listen to the words of the Dark Mother, who of old was called Hecate, Nuit, Morrigan, Banba, Erda, Macha, Mother Night, Sekhmet, and many other names:

Whenever you seek wisdom, at the time of the Darkening Moon, come together in love and trust and learn of Me, who am the Wisest of Crones…Ye who search the mysteries of the Earth, the secrets of Air and Darkness, of Blood and Fire, the silence of the uttermost stars, come unto Me, and I shall whisper to you in the depths of midnight.

Ye shall approach Me in silence, and as a sign that ye are free from fear, your breast you shall bare to my blade…for fear has no place in my mysteries, and that which you seek of Me will destroy you if you fear it.

For I am the dolmen arch beyond which stretch the mysteries of infinity. I am the silence before birth and after death. I am the clouded mirror in which you scry your own soul. I am mist in the twilight, the vast and starry sky of midnight, shadows on the Moon.

All things come to Me in the end, and yet I am the beginning of all. I meet you at the crossroads, I lead you through the darkness, my hand you grasp in the passage between the worlds. To those that toy with Me am I an instrument of self-destruction, yet to the true seeker do I bring knowledge beyond mortal comprehension.

Of you shall I demand the utter truth of all that you are, and in return shall I give you all that you may be, all that I am. For my wisdom is beyond the Ages, and knowledge of my Secrets is power over self, over fear, over death. Nor do I demand aught of you which you cannot give. For I am the Mother of Mysteries, and as you know Me, so shall you learn to know yourself.

The Goddesses of Samhain

The energy of the Goddess runs strongly through Samhain’s celebrations. This is the final harvest of the year and a time when death and decay abound. The darker months of shorter days is crowding in and our thoughts turn to home, comfort and healing before the rigors of the next season of growing.

The Goddess as Crone weighs heavy in imagery and Her wisdom is sought out to correct what has gone awry. As the Celtic New Year, the Great Mother’s hand is what we hope will guide our journey as we emerge at the Winter Solstice into the Light of a newly birthed solar power. The Goddess becomes the place of “forming” our intentions that are seeded and quickened by the directive of the God and the union of polarities that organically flows through the Cosmos. These are but a few of the Dark Goddesses that may be called upon as the Veils part…

Hec(k)ate – Greek
Hecate is a triune Goddess, meaning that she holds within her power the gifts of the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone. She is of the Greek pantheon and ancient in her power and energetic signature. This synthesis of her energies plays out in all of the ways in which she is called upon, the Crone being the more dominant of the three at Samhain.

In myth, Hecate is the only child of the Titanes Perses and Asteria ad was given power over heaven, earth and the waters. It is also said that she assisted the Goddess Demeter in her search for her daughter, Persephone and led her through the darkness of night with flaming torches, thus reuniting mother and daughter in the underworld of Hades.

She is often depicted as the dark figure that stands at the Crossroads and associated with the arts of necromancy, witchcraft, herbal lore of the poisonous plants, and all things of magick. Just as the Gates of Hades were guarded by Cerberus, as a Goddess that stands at a quartered threshold between life and death, her companions are the Hounds of Hecate and they assist in prodding to action and ultimately change those seekers who find Her. Because of her command over many of the arts of the Craft, Hecate is often considered the Queen of the Witch’s. In future posts we will experience Hecate’s gifts.

Cerridwen – Welsh

Cerridwen is a Welsh Crone Goddess of magick, wisdom and rebirth. The brew in her cauldron, named Awen (“inspiration”) bestows the transformative energies of brilliant wisdom. In myth, this brew was prepared for Cerridwen’s homely and ungainly son, Morfran. The brew was prepared very carefully and required a year and a day for it to be completed and the drinker to receive its full effects. The next occurrences are ones of undoing for the intended recipient of the potion as the stirrer of the brew accidentally splashes some of the scalding liquid on his thumb; sucks on it to relieve the pain and ingests the potion. The boy, Gwion suddenly becomes very wise and flees the scene realizing the wrath he will incur from Cerridwen. Using the magick of shapeshifting on the part of Cerridwen and being “one step ahead” by the now wise Gwion the cat and mouse game goes on. Eventually Gwion unwisely becomes an ear of corn and is consumed by Cerridwen as punishment.

In the style of many of these myths, with the ingesting of Gwion, Cerridwen becomes pregnant and upon seeing the beauty of the reborn Gwion cannot end his life. So, she swaddles him in cloth and throws him into the sea where he is rescued and grows to become the bard Taliesin. These themes play out in Samhain’s mysteries of the otherworld and the potential for those who have passed beyond to be reborn anew in grace and wisdom. At a practical level, we all strive for what we perceive that we do not have, and as life often will, opportunity presents itself sometimes accidentally. We fear the repercussions of what we have gained and flee shapeshifting into whatever we feel we “should” be to stay ahead of the game and hope that no one is the wiser to what we have been gifted. Samhain is a time to claim those gifts as our own ad with the help of Cerridwen’s cauldron of inspiration and new life, we may find that we are indeed the intended recipient of such great gifts.

The Crone – Triune Dark

A more generic attribution of the Goddess at Samhain is that simply of her triune nature; the Crone the face presented at Samhaintide. The Crone is considered the Dark aspect of the Goddess, her other two archetypes that of the Maiden and the Mother. She holds within the Wisdom of the ages having experienced the beginnings of life and youth and the fullness of motherhood. She is also the one who is nearest in the cycle of death and rebirth and into her care and keeping of those, benefitting from her wisdom across the veils and into the afterlife. She is the face that is also considered the ‘hag’ in many cultures.

The Crone was the wise woman of the village. Knowledge of herblore, communication with those of the Greater Earth and the magick of midwifery and putting out of its misery what was not viable. Often the Goddess as the Crone will be invoked and sought out at Samhain, serving many pantheons of expression and using the archetypal versus a specific Deity that may not normally fall within your personal work.

The Morrighan – Celtic

The Morrighan is a Celtic Goddess of War and Fate. She holds the gift of prophecy and command especially over the battlefields, determining who will live and who will die of the fallen. She is a shapeshifter and portends of her arrival are the gather in the crows/ravens. As the dominant goddess of Europe she was known as the Great Goddess and tales recount her abilities to move the soul through the cycles of life and death. The Morrighan was also called upon as protectress of the home and in early (Copper Age artifacts) there are depictions of her that bring more light on the extent of her gifts. In the book by John King, The Celtic Druid’s Years, Samhain is considered the mating time between the Dagda (the Great God) and the Morrighan.

She is seen as a bird goddess as well as an earth goddess whose breasts both nourish and sustain life and regenerate those in death. In Irish mythology the Morrighan’s breast were thought to form the hills in County Kerry. In early Celtic artifacts she is identified with images of the number three and the tri-parte nature of her magick and presence give her the power as a shapeshifter. Most view the Morrighan as a frightening goddess; more so because she is not death, itself, rather the keeper of death. In this way, the Morrighan is also the Wayfarer of light that commands strength and commitment to the path you have chosen, both in this life and the next.

The Qabalistic Sphere of Binah and the Womb of Creation
I’d like to offer a different perspective for the Goddesses of Samhain and the link to the Hermetic Tree of Life. If you are not familiar with the tree of Life please take a moment to read a basic here…
Qabalah Boot Camp: Just the Basics

The sphere of Binah is considered the Great Mother on the tree and is one of the Three Supernals that are responsible for the ultimate creation in manifest reality.She sits atop the pillar of Severity and with this semantic comes the cutting edge of what is required as the feminine energy seeks to refine and make viable what will become part of the Triune – Kether, Chokmah and Binah of emanation. I chose the image as the front piece of this post as representation of Binah and the sheer power she exudes simply in her presence.

The three Supernal Spheres that I referenced are Kether, the Godhead or the singular limitless source of all, that in its desire to become and create from itself splits and sends its potency in forming the sphere of Chokmah. Chokmah sits atop the Pillar of Mercy and as such commands the justifiable expelling of the seed potential that will move across to its companion, now formed as the primordial womb within Binah. These as polarized energies provide from the singular desire of Kether, the force and the form necessary for conception and the concept of creation. The seed must find its place within the womb of potential as as such the three together also exemplify the universal cycles of life, death and rebirth.

Using the energy of Binah as the focus o your Samhain celebration provides a container that is receptive to refining and testing the viability of what enters. This process is one of involution. In the reverse, what begins in the lower sphere of Malkuth – the physical and Kingdom of Earth’s gifts, ascends on the tree passing through its varying stages of evolutionary growth and having arrived at the sphere of Chesed – also on the Pillar of Force just directly below Chokmah. the choice is given to proceed across an abyss of great challenge and in so doing return to the primordial womb of Binah. This is a return to the waters that created you as the divine spark and reabsorption that occurs through the creation of a metaphysical death, or shedding what holds you to the denser realms as you pass through the Gates of imminence, and omnipresence.

There are many other Goddesses that are honored and called into working during the season of Samhain. Each have a hand in the parting of the veils and allowing for greater communication and interaction with out dear beloveds. Regardless of who you choose to offer your devotion to at this sacred time of the year, you will emerged transformed!

Read more about the cycle of the Goddess:
The Mystery of the Goddess
The Cycles of the God and Goddess Through the Wheel

Read More About the Goddess:

Liber Vel Hecate
The Mystery of the Goddess

Read More About Binah and Qabalah:

Qabalah Boot Camp: Just the Basics

BACK to INDEX

Deep into the Bones

Today is Day 5 of 30-Days of Samhain posting. In keeping with the numerology* of the number “5”, let’s stir things up and create a deeper connection to the wisdom of our bones….

A popular theme of décor for Samhain is that of skeletons. These represent those who have shed their corporeal forms and moved beyond the veils. They are meant to be spooky and mysterious and although of this manifest plane, also somehow animated by the ephemera of the subtle realms. Today, I would invite you to move deeply into your bones and their wisdom as a living being.

Here is the science of bones excerpted from: Fun Facts About Bones and Joints

•      The human skeleton is composed of around 270 bones at birth – this total decreases to around 206 bones by adulthood after some bones get fused together. 

• Bones are made up of calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and other minerals, as well as the protein collagen.

•     Bones function as the skeleton of the human body, allow body parts to move and protect organs from impact damage. They also produce red and white blood cells.

The skeletal system is the body system composed of bones and cartilage and performs the following critical functions for the human body:

• supports the body.
• facilitates movement.
• protects internal organs.
• produces blood cells.
• stores and releases minerals and fat.

In spiritual beliefs, bones symbolize many aspects of the individual, both in life and beyond. Bones are the last remaining vestiges of the body after death-thus giving them a sense of immortality of that life despite its no longer being physically present.  Bones serve as the foundation of the human form and so are necessary for the re-animating spirit, should it choose to return. Animal bones can be used as divination tools and……

            …. The use of bones for divination is a common part of many shamanistic rituals. Shamanism is, as Mircea Eliade calls it, an “archaic technique of ecstasy.” Since bones can be reanimated, they play a critical role in the ritual of the death and rebirth of the holy man. Eliade describes a pattern that is found in several cultures:

The skeleton present in the shaman’s costume summarizes and reactualizes the drama of his initiation, that is, the drama of death and resurrection. It is of small importance whether it is supposed to represent a human or an animal skeleton. In either case what is involved is the life-substance, the primal matter preserved by the mythical ancestors. The human skeleton in a manner represents the archetype of the shaman, since it is believed to represent the family from which the ancestral shamans were successively born. … A similar theory underlies the cases in which the skeleton—or the mask—transforms the shaman into some other animal (stag, etc.). For the mythical animal ancestor is conceived as the inexhaustible matrix of the life of the species and this matrix is found in these animals’ bones. One hesitates to speak of totemism. Rather, it is a matter of mystical relations between man and his prey, relations that are fundamental for hunting societies. ^1.

To complete the process of rebirth, the initiate must experience a mystical vision in which he imagines his body stripped of its flesh and names and numbers his own bones. The shaman cannot experience rebirth until he “becomes” his skeleton…. ^2.

So, how might we access the wisdom of our bones?  Our ancestry is held in our bones. The memories of our physical form engaged in every action, reaction and movement is held in our bones. The shape, form and ultimate scaffolding of how physical expression in this lifetime are held in our bones.  And, just as we may take a calcium supplement to support and bolster bone health, there are contemplative exercises that can be used to enliven, strengthen and awaken the inherent magick in our bones.

The mind and states of consciousness are powerful agents of transformation. The medical community now has data showing the effectiveness of the mind-body connection, contemplative and meditative modalities to heal and maintain health and the profound changes that can occur when we send thoughts and feelings of gratitude into our physiological system. As weavers of magick we have known this to be true for aeons, and as weavers of magick we often neglect the most manifest aspects of our being in using this mind/consciousness-body connection.

With these “thoughts” and knowledge in mind, I invite you to join me on a journey into our bones. Find a space where you will not be disturbed for approximately 12-15 minutes. Use headphones (for the best experience) and settle in holding the intention of ….

30-Days of Samhain Pathworking: Day Five

Awakening the Bones

Please note that you will be directed to my Bandcamp site for this pathworking:

Teachings on the Path with Robin

* Want to know more about the number “5” and numerology? Check it out here:

0-9: The Esoteric Meaning of Numbers

Numerology: The Art and Science of Numbers-Part One

Resources:

1. Mircea Eliade, Shamanism: Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1972), pp. 159–160.

2.  Mark C. Taylor, PhD. (Religion), Mystic Bones (Chicago:University of Chicago Press, 2007)

VIDEOS: 13 Days of Walking the Witch’s Path

I took a breath as I stepped onto the path...

My heart beat with anticipation
My body tingled with response
My mind awakened in that liminal space.

Sunlight streamed through trees thick with leaves
Moonlight danced on stone and moss
The seasons moved in flow from one to the other
The Divine called out my name and I replied.

With Athame and Wand
Pentacle and Chalice
I spoke my chosen names
I crafted my working space
I stood in the mantle of power
The mantle of the Sacred and 
The mantle of the Witch.

I took a breath as I stepped onto the path
And, I knew that I had come home......

Today, our focus is on learning more about how we, as Witches and magickal practitioners, gather the tools and teachings that will inform our celebrations, spells and ritual. Several years ago, I thought it would be fun to begin a series of videos that would be quick and easy access to many of the ways the Witch moves through the world.

“Any time” is perfect to begin these explorations, but Samhain holds a very specific type of potential that melds together the outer world experiences and the inner planes teachings. The veils have thinned and access to the wisdom (and teachings) of the ancestors is ripe and ready for the tasting.

The energy of astrological Scorpio opens our intuitive and deeply responsive nature and the astronomical transitions of Samhain being mid-point between the Equinox and the Solstice remind us of the liminal nature of the Path of the Witch and foundations each Witch cultivates as their space of power. Revisit Day Two: The (basics) Astrology of Samhain for more on this energy.

I invite you to take a walk with me on this path of 13-days. Regardless of how long or short your time as been actively engaged as a Witch, coming back to the basics and seeing with fresh and accumulated experience will become your newly honed tools of the Samahin season and beyond….Enjoy!

13 Days of Walking the Witch’s Path

See you soon at my Youtube Channel:
A Journey to the Inner Chamber

Preparing for the Journey of the Shadow

Today’s post is a reminder that the work of Samhain is not only about connecting with the Ancestors, but also one of entering into the darker spaces we hold within. This is the work of the Shadow and the way in which this work is achieved varies from tradition to tradition, psychoanalytical practice, beliefs and philosophies and everything that makes us human and spiritual in nature. When we become aware of this aspect of ourself, we are claiming the mantle of walking in both light and dark and recognizing the polarized state of Being that we are. I’ve posted below Part One of a three-part article exploring the shadow I wrote several years ago. We’ll revisit this work later in the month…. Enjoy!

Down the Rabbit Hole – Part One

The Dark Side of the Light

At some point in the journey on our spiritual path we must encounter another aspect of our nature that is often called the “shadow self”.  This encounter is an important milestone in keeping us moving forward along our chosen path, and it is at that juncture that we come upon the divergent crossroads that offer choice of either embrace or retreat in this lifetime. Stepping into the center of this space of opening can very much be the type of experience Alice (of “Alice in Wonderland”) had in falling down the rabbit hole. Cramped in some spaces, too large in others and completely disorienting and unplanned for in process. In fact, if we look more deeply at the metaphorical implications of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, we could conclude that all of the characters were aspects of Alice in their varying levels of evolved or devolved state. These permutations and subtleties are similar to the varying shades of light and dark experienced when we speak of our light body and our shadow or dark other. On either end of the spectrum we have the most pure essence of what that aspect of our being comprises. However, it is necessary to form alliance with all of the variances and characters of archetype that present in between to act as guides and guardians in order to reach these pure forms.

We all have aspirations of moving into a state of communion with our Higher or Light-filled Self but most do not fully commit to the work that is necessary in engaging with and truly coming to know the necessary polarity of our shadow self. We chase the white rabbit out of curiosity and hopes of finding another truth, and its slips easily from our grasp leading us to a completely different inner landscape full of shadows and illusions. So, how do we purposefully seek out this shadow self? We can begin the process by looking at the psychological components that help to form our expression of self, ego, will and the eventual goal of individualization.

My Shadow-The Other

“As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.” (Carl Jung)

According to Swiss psychiatrist, Carl Jung, there are within the human experience and consciousness several highly specialized archetypes that define the human psychological experience. These archetypes are closely linked to our physical nature and are often brought to the surface through the varied preconditioned responses that we have gathered from our environment of both instinctual and mental learning. These become the patterns that play out in our lives in a continuous thread until some upheaval at either a conscious or sub-conscious level brings out what has lain hidden within our unconscious psyche.

This often plays out in the form of projection; or seeing the negative traits in others we encounter that are actually in resonance to those same qualities within ourselves, albeit latent and for the most part unacknowledged at a conscious level. Within our spiritual landscape this “other” takes the form of our shadow self. We see and respond to this part of our being as being neither of our self nor something we can control. Whether we choose to acknowledge and confront this aspect of ourselves or retreat in fear at the prospect we cannot move beyond what momentum of growth we have established up to that point until we face what is hidden in the recesses of this uncomfortable territory through shadow work.

Read Parts 2 and 3 of this series here:

Down the Rabbit Hole

Let’s begin our work of the shadow with a pathworking. To access the Pathworking:

The Journey of the Shadow Bandcamp

The (basic) Astrology of Samhain

The astrological imprint of Samhain is one of an energy of mystery, intuitive gifts, secrets, passion and more. The solar month of Scorpio holds the space for the parting of the veils and the celebration of Samhain on either date, October 31st or November 6-7th. Scorpio is a Water sign of the Fixed modality, and is also the only astrological sign that has three (3) levels of experience available to it. All of these attributes very juicy for the hallows of Samhain.

The traditional assignation of the Scorpion to Scorpio as its image is only one of the three forms this sign may take. The other two are that of the Eagle and the Phoenix; giving scorpio layers of dimensional energy that serve this time of interaction with the layers of the veiled worlds and our own. Additionally, Scorpio is of the Water element with access to the emotional and deep intuitive seascapes that call forth visionings and communing by way of divinatory or perceptual tools. This is water that is of the fixed modality, “fixed” indicating the directive towards providing a vessel or container of synthesis for what flows in from those signs of the Cardinal (beginning) modality and what becomes the synthesized expansive Mutable (flexibility) creation of outpouring from its fixed state.

The scorpion as image for Scorpio acknowledges the desire to remain cloaked and hidden in those pursuits and undertakings that would reveal the more vulnerable nature of Scorpio. Prone towards being the silent observer this often gives Scorpio the bad rap of being secretive, deceitful and treacherous (the stinger of the Scorpion that comes as a surprise). Most times the intention is not one of malevolence; rather, it is an intuitive and instinctual response to feeling threatened.

The image of the Eagle as a Scorpio gift heralds the process of synthesis that can occur when you leave the shadows of the scorpion’s den, rise above what you fear and take your place in the fullness of sky and adapt to the keen sight that allows greater discernment and intention regarding where your talons strike. This is also an aspect of being able to responsibly strike out taking only what is needed for sustenance and survival, and nothing more.

And, the final image is that of the Phoenix. Having conquered the fear that develops from cloistering oneself away in the darkness (scorpion) and experienced the freedom of riding the waves of air’s current, what remains is ready to be purified and rendered to ash in the fires of light and be reborn as the bird of flame that can re-form itself as needed.

So, given the dynamics and possibilities of this solar month, Samhain has the additional gift of a solar light that is infused with change and transformation. The Sun’s energy providing the strength and illumination desired to navigate worlds that are a little less brightly lit.

Scorpio is a sign that naturally allows access to those endings and beginnings that mark the cycles of life. Now is the time to practice and open to your psychic perception. Much that normally lay hidden can be more easily perceived now. Reach out to the ancestors, call to that part of you that seeks more clarity and discernment and don’t be afraid to allow the Season of the Witch to ignite within you a new found adaptability and resilience as we enter the winter.

The Astrology of:

October 6.2021  – Kick off of the Countdown 

Some Planetary Highlights:

• Sun in Libra
• Moon in Scorpio
• Retrograde Mercury 

Yesterday was an excellent day to begin our 30-Days of Samhain explorations. The Sun is stationed in astrological Libra; Airy and bursting with the potential to clear away the cobwebs and seek a mind of clarity and balance. This is the space of creation’s gate and the call is one of right mind, right heart and right action.

Mother Moon is standing in the mantle of astrological Scorpio, calling forth the potency of Samhain tide’s energy and depth of intuitive sight. This is a waxing moon still in the 3-day aura of the New Moon in Libra that occurred on Wednesday, October 6th. This gives clue to the abundance of potential for change, new beginnings and being able to incrementally see beyond the veils and reach out to our beloved ancestors.

Mercury, the quintessential planet of communication and adaptability, remains retrograde and the intensity of its scrutiny is being felt in all manner of dealings. Retrograde Mercury in astrological Libra calls the individual to seek a space of harmonious interaction that is intentional and focused on achieving something lasting and beauteous in its nature. The beauty is not one of visage and image, but rather, the beauty that is held in having just enough, being just enough and acknowledging that all actions call to a reciprocity that will either tip the scales negatively or tip them towards growth.

The Waxing Moon is moving us towards the liminal space of the veils and Samhain’s many blessings and gifts of transformative power. Stand strong in the mantle of your own power and be receptive to the opportunities that flow as Mother Moon expands towards fullness.

So, breathe deeply, follow and trust your instincts and call to that which gives you strength and courage as we prepare to weave the magick of Samhain…

Look for “The Astrology Of” section on October 31st and November 6th’s posts!

Read More About Scorpio here:

The Temple of the Sun: The Magick of Scorpio

Read More About Cancer Here:

The Temple of the Sun: The Magick of Cancer

Read More About Libra here:

The Temple of the Sun: The Magick of Libra

Astrology Basics:

General Astrology 101: Back to Basics

Time this year has flown by so quickly and I can’t believe we are about to embark on another year of celebrating Samhain. The final harvest calls, the Ancestors await and the veils between the worlds have thinned offering the gifts of healing, transformation and deeper communion with the cycles of nature.

The events of this year have flown by so quickly and I can’t believe we are about to embark on another year of celebrating Samhain. 2021 marks the fifth year of 30-Days of Samhain! The number “5” is one that represents creation, transformation and deep change. With this in mind, the focus of this year’s 30-Days will be one of honoring yourself as well as your ancestors and the many ways in which we change, grow and evolve with each new experience and in particular, with each turning of the Great Wheel of the Year.

In past years we have explored the mysteries of Samhain using a daily format of postings and suggestions to deepen your awareness of this sacred time of the year. This year I’ll also be adding videos, book reviews and bonus content, as well as reposts of favorites throughout the years. The countdown ends with Astrological Samhain on November 6.2021.

Timeline 2021:

Day One begins today, October 8th and Day Thirty ends on Astrological Samhain, November 6th @ 11:50pm (EDT)…date from archeoastronomy.com

The Basics: What is Samhain?

This time of the year, more than any other, is steeped in celebration of the occult. Occult in this sense meaning that which is hidden – although I would add, in plain sight. Spirits, witches, supernatural creatures and being mindful of the convergence of the ancestor’s realm and the living come to life in a tableau that is magickal, mundane and commercial. The penultimate day is October 31st. and the celebration of Halloween, or Samhain as it is commonly known as a spiritual observance.

The name Samhain (pronounced: SAH-win/SOW-in/SAH-wen) is derived from a Gaelic celebration that marked the final harvest. The celebration heralded Winter and the imminent darkness and often lack of stores if the harvest had not been as productive as possible. Death could potentially be waiting for those who found difficulty in surviving the harsh winter. Many who follow the Wheel of the Year use Samhain as the marking point of the (Witch’s) New Year and a time when the veils between the worlds of life and death thin making communication and crossing more accessible.

Halloween, or “Hallowed Eve” is traditionally observed on October 31st; the eve before All Saint’s Day or Hallowmas observed in the Catholic Church. Samhain also heralds the start of Dia de Los Meurtes, celebrated throughout Mexico and ends on November 2nd. A more ancient version of Samhain’s timeline is an astrological marker of mid-point between the autumnal equinox and the Winter Solstice and falls somewhere between Nov. 6th – 8th (Northern Hemisphere).

Read More About Samhain here: Samhain

The Modern Witchcraft Guide to Fairies: Your Complete Guide to the Magick of the Fae by Sky Alexander

Adams Media, 978-1507215913, 256 pages, June 2021

…. When you hear the word “fairy”. What image comes to mind? A miniature girl with gossamer wings and a sparkly dress, a la Disney’s version of Tinker Bell? A benevolent creature who flies about sprinkling fairy dust everywhere, waving her wand to make children’s wishes come true? if so, you are in for a surprise……Like unicorns and mermaids, these magickal entities have been denatured by pop culture, robbed of their mystique and majesty. The fairies of old were nothing like the sugar coated cartoon characters we envision today. They were powerful beings of a semi-divine nature, who may have descended from the gods and goddesses. According to some tales, they served as the prototypes from which the human race evolved… ^1.

The Modern Witchcraft Guide to Fairies: Your Complete Guide to the Magick of the Fae by Sky Alexander is part of the Modern Witchcraft series published by Adams Media, an imprint of Simon and Schuster publishers. I have had the pleasure of reviewing several of Ms. Alexander’s books and am always engaged and interested in both her style of writing and the content provided to the reader. Ms. Skye address head on in the first page of the Introduction how the interpretation of fairies (and other creatures) has been skewed and modernized inaccurately to fit a disbelieving culture where true magick doesn’t exists beyond slight of hand, smoke and mirrors.

A very helpful inclusion is entitled “How to Use This Book”.  I think most books regarding magickal arts and practice should all include a “How to Use This Book” section, but this is particularly thoughtful in regard to this particular subject and the misinformation that abounds around work with the Fae. Knowing the intention of each chapter and the why for inclusion of a specific lineage of Fae provides a more complete picture of the nuances and diversity among the race of the Fae.

The Modern Witchcraft Guide to Fairies: Your Complete Guide to the Magick of the Fae is separated into two (2) parts and thirteen (13) chapters. Part One: Communing with Fairies is dedicated to information and lore about the various beings that are part of the realm of the Fae, where to commonly find them, their magick and their association with the practice of witchcraft. Ms. Alexander presents a very complete picture of the varied communities of the Fae, as well as the caution and at times need for protection and safe guarding from the more mischievous nature of some of the Fae. We are reminded that although they are not of the same lineage as we, just as there are humans that are contentious, and ill mannered, so too there are beings of Fae who want nothing to do with humans and will if pursued be downright nasty.

Part Two: Spells, Rituals and Practices for Working with Fairies Throughout the Year dives into ritual, spells and workings to enlist the aid and collaboration of the Fae. The book is literally packed with information, and sprinkled with relevant quotes and snippets of more lore and fact.

Part Two’s offerings are broken down into chapters, each of which, focuses on a specific intention in desiring to work with the Fairy realms and their specific inhabitants that could aid. Topics such as Love, Safety and Protection, Personal and Spiritual Growth, Personal and Professional Success and more are tucked nicely into dedicated chapters. Each chapter is complete with details on workings, the “who” of the Fae that would be suited to request aid from, ritual, visualizations and lists of what you need by way of physical supplies.

I especially enjoyed the inclusion of Chapter 12: Working With Fairies on the Sabbats and Holidays. There is a kindred nature in the collaboration of the Fae, witches and witchcraft. Aligning this nature with that of the Witch’s Wheel of the Year is an organic way of enlisting the aid, particularly of those Fae of nature, in the celebration and honoring of the seasonal turning of the Wheel and the magick that arises.

The Appendix at the end of the book offers a robust and extensive listing of correspondences that include gemstones, herbs and spice, oils and incense and flowers that are particularly favored by the Fae and offer the correct energetic signature for successful work.

At the risk of being a complete nerd, I must also comment on the physical book itself. In an age where Kindle replaces the tactile kinesthetic experience of turning a page or assessing the weight of a book by holding it in your hand, I am pleased to see that many of the books I have recently reviewed for Simon and Schuster are hard cover copies.  This title also makes use of parchment type paper with uneven edging that adds exponentially to the ambient feel of the book, playing nicely with the subject matter. The overall impression is one of having acquired a special tome that will be used frequently when not sitting in an old over-filled bookcase in a comfortable reading/magickal room that smells of herbs and incense and being read by candlelight. Yes, I proudly claim the title of geeky-witch.

The Modern Witchcraft Guide to Fairies: Your Complete Guide to the Magick of the Fae by Sky Alexander is another interesting and very informative title by both the author and the lucky publisher who gets to share Ms. Skye’s knowledge. Regardless of your inclination to establish a working relationship with the Fae, knowing more about the predispositions and nature of those who inhabit the same sentient space as we do is a showing of respect and curiosity that we could all certainly use more of nowadays. I could say more, but somethings simply need to be experienced. A highly recommended read.

About the Author: Skye Alexander

Skye Alexander is the award-winning author of more than thirty fiction and nonfiction books, including Your Goddess Year, The Only Tarot Book You’ll Ever Need, The Modern Guide to Witchcraft, The Modern Witchcraft Spell Book, The Modern Witchcraft Grimoire, The Modern Witchcraft Book of Tarot, and The Modern Witchcraft Book of Love Spells. Her stories have been published in anthologies internationally, and her work has been translated into more than a dozen languages. The Discovery Channel featured her in the TV special, Secret Stonehenge, doing a ritual at Stonehenge. She divides her time between Texas and Massachusetts.

References:

1. page 9