Author: Sister Bridget Corfield

  • New video with Mambo Sam.

     Hello!

    Many clients ask us what happens during the spell casting process. What happens before, during and after? Well, we can not show *everything* but there are some things we can share! In this video by Mambo Sam, Mambo explains about the end of the casting process – what is involved, where it takes place, what offerings are made, what some of the closing prayers are. It may seem strange to begin at the end, BUT endings really are not endings, are they? Especially where spellwork is concerned!

    Hope you enjoy!

    Love

    Sister Bridget

     

  • Vintage Deck of Thoth Tarot Cards

    Hello!

    One of the many amazing things I have seen recently is a vintage, first edition deck of Thoth Tarot cards owned by Mambo Sam. This deck is simply beautiful, rich in history, symbolism and art work. I made a small photo album of some of these cards and their rich colors. I hope you enjoy!

    Love

    Sister Bridget

    Crowley2

  • See Mambo Sam working on Spellmaker’s Valentine’s Ritual to Erzulie Freda!

     

    Hello!

    Every year, Spellmaker puts on a free ritual for all who wish to participate to the Lwa of Love, Erzulie Freda. This year, we had the benefit of taping some parts of the ritual (the parts we can share with the public) and have made the video available to view. I was lucky enough to be the one recording Mambo Sam (you will hear my voice as I join her with the Hail Mary).  Be sure to watch it till the end, as Mambo Sam includes a special blessing for all of you. Mambo Sam, Parran Matt and myself feel very privledged to have each of you in our lives, and hope that you enjoy seeing this look into some of the things we do here at Spellmaker!

    Love

    Sister Bridget

     

  • New Moon, New Year! Super Moon, Super Year!

    New Moon, New Year! Super Moon, Super Year!

    The night of New Year’s 2014 is also the night of the first Super Moon (when the moon orbits slightly closer to Earth than usual and looks bigger in the sky) of the year, AND it is a New Moon as well. What does that mean for us? Many say that the New Moon is a time for setting intentions. The new moon is seen as the beginning or birth of the moon’s various phases. The night of the new moon is is the perfect time for birthing and planting your intentions. The dark side of the moon, with its mysterious unseen forces, offers a nurturing environment where our intentions can establish roots before their manifestations begin to sprout and reach out to the light. A New Moon on the New Year seems a really great time to set forth some positive intentions for 2014! Forget resolutions, and all that is associated with them. Take a few minutes this special night to focus your intent on what you wish 2014 holds for you. What a wonderful energy to begin this new year on 🙂

    I wish each of you a Super New Year 🙂

    Love

    Sister Bridget

     

  • Poem for today.

    …is by Elizabeth Barrett Browning 🙂

    Hope you enjoy!

    Love

    Sister Bridget

     

     

    The Sweetest Lives

    The sweetest lives are those to duty wed,

    Whose deeds, both great and small,

    Are close-knit strands of unbroken thread

    Where love ennobles all.

    The world may sound no trumpets, ring no bells;

    The book of life the shining record tells.

    The love shall chant its own beatitudes

    After its own life working.

    A child’s kiss

    Set on thy sighing lips shall make thee glad;

    A sick man helped by thee shall make thee strong;

    Thou shalt be served thyself by every sense

    Of service which thous renderest.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Carnelian — maybe it’s an Ogoun thing?

    I have always been attracted to Carnelian.  I have quite a few pieces, and have received it as gifts as well. Maybe it’s an Ogoun thing?

    Carnelian is a powerful Sacral Chakra Stone. It increases personal power and physical energy, gives courage, and boosts creativity and compassion. Wearing or carrying Carnelian can enhance vitality and will, providing higher energy needed when approaching new projects and dreams. Ancient Warriors wore Carnelian around their neck for courage and physical power to conquer their enemies.  Mentally, Carnelian focuses analytical capabilities, and aids meditation by allowing deeper concentration and keeping out interrupting thoughts. Carnelian is useful in making decisions by keeping us focused on the here and now and not on past experiences. Carnelian calms anger and grounds you in reality, while keeping you aware of unconditional Love permeating the Universe. Carnelian encourages initiative and determination. Carnelian lends the courage needed to help overcome difficulties and defend a cause. It promotes idealism, a sense of community and pragmatism.  Carnelian is a crystal of action, overcoming procrastination or indecision. It encourages one to stop waiting for dreams to appear, and stimulates the courage to embrace change and Divine Will to begin to make one's highest goals happen. On the home front, Carnelian is useful to keep on hand, especially for the do-it-yourselfer, to prevent accidents. It is also used to protect the home from theft, fire and storm damage.

    Cleanse and charge your Carnelian by holding it under running water, and then placing it in the sun.

    Love

    Sister Bridget

      Carnelian

  • Twelve Acts of Kindness.

    Hey!

    Happy Monday to you all!

    Random Acts is a non-profit organization that does many good things thoughout the year. Right now they have a blog series going called Twelve Acts of Kindness. Today is day three, I think. Their suggestions are simple, yet uplifting!

    Day one – Clean Up Your Act : Know of somewhere that needs a little kindness in your area? Volunteer to help with neighborhood clean up or just pick up litter around the office or your school. A little work can go a long way and you never know who you might inspire to lend a hand.

    Day two- Don't Forget Yourself : During the holiday season, it can be easy to forget to be kind to a very important person – you. December tends to be a busy month, and sometimes we overcommit to projects, parties or obligations to others. Sometimes we just aren’t feeling up to all of the festivities; we’re missing a special someone, can’t be with everyone we would like to spend time with, or feel like the end of the year comes with pressure we just don’t need. Even at other times of year, it can be hard to remember to take time out for yourself, and tough to remember that everyone sometimes feels down or just not good enough. Do what you love for others. Love knitting? Or maybe you’re a crazy good artist? Start a project that will help others like knitting blankets for a homeless shelter or offering to donate your awesome painting skills to a charity that helps children at risk. It’s a great way to have fun while spreading kindness. Helping others actually can make you feel better; it’s a great treat to realize how much you mean to others, and just how much you have to offer. At the same time, don’t always feel like you have to go out of your comfort zone – sometimes it’s an act of kindness to yourself to stay in and watch a so-good-it’s-bad movie, curl up with one of your favorite books while drinking some cocoa, or recapture your childhood and play with some paper dolls.

    Day three – Spend Time with a Senior : All of us, someday, will be old. Ancient. Into our dotage. But for many elderly people, this is the start to just the latest chapter in their lives. A time for thrilling experiences with new people. For others, it can be very lonely. This year, why not spend some time listening to the incredible wisdom of senior citizens. Volunteer to paint their nails, bring home a load of groceries, or make a special surprise like balloon animals or a new knit blanket. Just visiting will let those special seniors in your life know you care. You might be surprised at how much you enjoy visiting!

    It is not too late to join in the Kindness 🙂 Bookmark Random Acts and check back! Even if you can not make one of these idea, perhaps you will find inspiration to make up an act of kindness all your own. Keep it simple. The simplest ideas can have the most meaning!

    Get out there and be kind!

    Love

    Sister Bridget

  • Angel Stones – Seraphinite!

    Hello,

    The next stop on our tour of the Angel Stones is Seraphinite!

    Seraphinite is a much less common stone than others we have discussed. It is currently only found in one location in the Earth, which is Eastern Siberia, Russia. It is named after the highest class of angels, the Seraphim.  It is a beautiful deep, dark green stone, contains some mica. The mica lends an image of their feathery wings, captured in iridescent silver and suggests the movement of flight within a crystal of deep forest green.

    So named for its connectivity to the highest choir of angels, Seraphinite offers strong spiritually beneficial energies.   Seraphinite is a stone a very high vibration.  Pulling these higher vibrations into the subtle bodies, Seraphinite can work with each of the chakras, infusing them with divine energies. Working with Seraphinite during meditation can help those who lack purpose to discover their place in the universe as well as facilitate communication with the spirit realm.  While it is known to work with all chakras, Seraphinite can have stronger effects on the Heart and Crown Chakras. Seraphinite is particularly attuned to the Heart Chakra, infusing the aura with vibrations of wholeness and well-being, nurturing and love, enveloping not only those who wear or carry it, but also those who behold it.

    Seraphinite harmonizes easily with the vibrations of other high-energy crystals for healing, meditation, and attunement with the angelic realm and nature spirits, which allows it to be used in conjunction with other stones we have discussed. Seraphinite enhances social skills and inspires better relationships. It aids in resolving conflicts, and promotes reconciliation and constructive compromise. Knowing this, carrying both Angelite and Seraphenite when working on issues of communication in both the personal and professional settings could be helpful J Along with Green Aventurine, Seraphenite is said to be very special to Archangel Raphael. It can be used in jewelry pieces dedicated to him, or held during  meditation or imagery concerning him. 

    Seraphinite also makes a great crystal to keep in the home, office, or even the car, where it can emit its protective angelic energies out into the environment.  Seraphinite is well-known as a superb healing crystal, offering balance and strength where these qualities are lacking. 

    Next stop …..Phrenite!

    Love

    Sister Bridget

     

     

  • Angel Stones – Angelite !

    Hello,

    I seem to be in the mood for things that come out of the ground 🙂 Maybe its because the weather is turning, and I am spending more time indoors. I do find myself looking more and more at my ever growing box of crystals. I have had an affinity for a select few lately so I looked them up. Turns out they are each a stone said to be connected with the Angels and the spirit realm (of course!)  The first stone is a very pretty blue known as Angelite :

    Angelite is a stone of Intuition, Communication, and the Higher Self. It works best with the upper chakras (Throat, Third Eye and Crown).  Looking at the lovely blue color, we can see its connection to and support of the throat chakra right off J Angelite is very good at helping people speak their truth, when they would otherwise have difficulty. It can help the wearer facilitate communication in relationships and groups, and can be very helpful in both the workplace and personal settings
    in this regard. Also, as the name suggests, Angelite has a connection to the higher realms, facilitating angelic and spiritual communication. For these reasons, Angelite is sometimes referred to as the “Messenger Stone”. Holding a piece in your hand during meditation can help both increase and clarify the guidance that is received.

    It is a very soothing, peaceful, and uplifting stone quite helpful during times of transition. It is a stone that carries great compassion within it. This quality makes it a wonderful stone to aid the carrier with issues of forgiveness.  Angelite is one of a group of higher vibrational crystals that can assist in smoothing the way for vibrational shifts, awareness and ascension. Angelite heals and clears the Throat, Third-Eye, and Crown Chakra, and sends energy to the Soul Star Chakra that lies 6 inches above the head.  The higher vibrations sent to these chakras allows for greater spiritual growth, enhanced intuition, and clearer communication.  Angelite’s ability to unblock the upper chakras clears the area to allow for the influx of higher vibrational information coming into the auric field, to be processed by the lower chakras. Angelite  can be used during meditation to enhance the meditative state, and to clarify issues in one's current situations as they arise.  By depositing inspiration from guides, guardians and/or angels into the chakras, Angelite allows them to be integrated into the whole, even after one is done working with the stone. 

    Angelite is a fairly soft and porous stone. Be careful not to get it too wet (do not submerge it in water). Avoid the use of salt water or strong chemicals for cleansing. If you feel the need to cleanse the stone, leave it out in the moonlight on a bright night, or wrap it in a sturdy cloth and bury it in the Earth for 24 hours.

    Tomorrow…..Seraphinite!

    Love

    Sister Bridget

     

     

     

     

     

  • Earthing.

    Have you ever heard of “Earthing”? Up until 2 days ago, I had not. I happened to notice a link to an article as I scrolled through my Twitter feed.  Turns out, it is basically the practice of connecting with the Earth, and feeling better.  Sounds pretty simple, right? Admittedly, when time and weather permit, and I get to spend time in my back yard, sitting on the ground under my favorite tree, I do feel happier, calmer, more relaxed. And naps under said tree, well, they are the best. I got to wondering if there might be any evidence to back up the article I had read, and I did uncover some interesting reading. I tried to provide links to full text articles, so you could read for yourselves if you so desired.

    This is a link to a pdf of an introductory article on Earthing  co-authored by Dr Oschman.

    http://74.63.154.231/here/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/understanding_earthing.pdf The conclusions

    ”Earthing reduces every measure of stress we have used in our studies.”

    ’The most important health benefit of Earthing is providing the body with abundant electrons from the Earth. The scientific research and hypotheses related to Earthing point to a major impact on the inflammatory process as a result of this electron transfer.”

    “We do not describe Earthing as a "treatment" or a "cure" for any disease or disorder. Instead, it can be said without any equivocation that the human body evolved in contact with the Earth and needs to maintain this natural contact in order to function properly.”

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3576907/ Links to a study which you can read for free on Pub Med Central that states there “were measurable decreases in cardiovascular risk factors after 2 hours of grounding.” However, for you science minded folks, the sample size for this study was 10.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15650465 “Results indicate that grounding the human body to earth ("earthing") during sleep reduces night-time levels of cortisol and resynchronizes cortisol hormone secretion more in alignment with the natural 24-hour circadian rhythm profile. Changes were most apparent in females. Furthermore, subjective reporting indicates that grounding the human body to earth during sleep improves sleep and reduces pain and stress.”

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3265077/ A pretty comprehensive review article on the subject, not terribly long and the full text is available for free. The conclusion —  “The research done to date supports the concept that grounding or Earthing the human body may be an essential element in the health equation along with sunshine, clean air and water, nutritious food, and physical activity.”

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21856083 “Earthing generates immediate changes in electroencephalography (EEG), surface electromyography (SEMG), and somato-sensory evoked potentials …..Earthing significantly influences on the electrical activity of the brain. “

    I think the statement that struck me most was this:

    “the human body evolved in contact with the Earth and needs to maintain this natural contact in order to function properly”

    Seems so simple and so true.  Naturally, there is a commercial element that has cropped up to help “promote” this practice. Earthing shoes, sheets, chairs, matts, etc. To me, adding more “stuff” seems to defeat the whole idea, which seems pretty simple – Go out and connect with the Earth!  

    I am glad that I clicked on that link in my Twitter feed J I think I know a little more than I did a couple days ago. And the next time I nap under my favorite tree, I will feel a little less guilty when I wake up.

    Love

    Sister Bridget