Tag: spellmaker
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Happy Fet Ghede!
Hello everyone,
As many have asked, here is some information about how to serve on Fet Ghede.
To clear up some information – The Ghede (of which there are purported to be MILLIONS) are NOT the Baron and Maman Brigitte. The Baron and Brigitte are considered the Mother and Father of the Ghede. There is also a line of thought that the Baron and Brigitte are the "landowners" of the residence of the Ghede (the graveyard, of course). :-)
Traditionally, especially in New Orleans Voodoo, The Baron and Maman Brigitte are often served during Fet Ghede, too, but more as a show of respect. My point here, of course, is to make sure you know who you are serving! If you are serving the Ghede, you are not necessarily serving The Baron and Brigitte and vice versa.
As to service: If at all possible, you should go to a cemetery on this day. If you are not in a town where you have ancestors buried, then go to the cemetery anyway. Bring a trash bag, gloves (if you want to not get your hands dirty), flowers (purple ones are best if you can find some), and candy offerings, anything you like. I like to find a grave that looks like it hasn't been attended to in years! Clean up as best you can around the grave, pick up any trash or debris. If you can, stay awhile – ask Papa Legba to open the gate to the Ghede and ask your ancestors to visit this spot, to talk to you, to guide you. There is no real right or wrong way to do this — go to the graveyard and let yourself be led to what you should do and where you should go.
I know people always get nervous about going to the graveyard — what if someone sees you? What if someone asks you what you are doing? As long as you aren't desecrating anyone's grave, it is okay for you to be there. It is extremely rare for anyone to be questioned in a graveyard; I have probably spent more time there than any one of us, and I have never, ever been questioned or even paid attention to. If you just look like you belong there and are doing something positive (flowers, cleaning) you are unlikely to draw much attention, especially this time of year!
Even if you can't go to the graveyard, doing an altar to the Ghede is fun this time of year – you can get lots of cheap plastic skeletons and coffins and such. Colors are purple, black, and white. Offerings are rum, 21 peppers steeped in rum (be careful with this stuff — wear gloves to put the peppers in the rum bottle), unfiltered cigarettes, and roasted peanuts (raw peanuts, taken out of the shell, and stir fried in a skillet or roasted in the oven – NO SALT!! – remember – no salt in any offerings to the Ghede). If you have ancestors you are serving at this time, put their favorite foods, their pictures, items to represent them on your altar. St. Gerard, who is often used to represent the Baron, is also used to represent the Ghede in most Voodoo traditions.
Once you are satisfied with your altar, light your candles and ask Papa Legba to open the gate to the Ghede and your ancestors. This is a perfect time to ask your ancestors for their help, guidance, and favor. If you have ancestors that you were particularly close to, ask them for their help with whatever situation you have that is troubling you. Listen carefully, sometimes you might even hear them whisper to you!! I always recommend that you do a bit of journaling in front of your altar: Ask questions of the Ghede and your ancestors and write down the first thing that pops into your head – don't edit – write in stream of consciousness. Don't re-read it right now. Put it away at the end of the service and read it about a week later. Sometimes you will be very surprised at what you see written there!
Remember as well that Fet Ghede is celebrated as a sort of "New Year's" celebration – a new beginning where old problems and challenges are "buried" or solved!
Have fun!
Love,
Mambo Samantha Corfield -
Venus and the Sun
So I wanted to talk a bit about a Venus and Sun conjunction we have recently experienced in the sign of Libra.
First, what does all that astro mumbo jumbo mean? Well…the sun is the sign of the self, your identity. When someone asks you what your "sign" is the answer most people give is the sign that the Sun was astrologically transiting in the heavens on the day they were born. For example, if your birthday is today, October 27, you were born when the sun was in the sign of Scorpio. But the sun, as a rule astrological, translates to the self.
Venus is the planet that rules love and romantic love especially. Also anything that gives us pleasure-lovely art, delicious food, music, beautiful poetry, falls under the gaze of Venus. And Libra, in the 12 houses of the zodiac, rules the 7th house, or the house of partnerships.
So this sun and Venus conjunction in Libra on a very universal level, is giving humankind an opportunity to take stock of our personal relationships. What relationships nourish or deplete you? If you are single, what traits do you want to attract ( or avoid) in a potential partner? How do you approach relationships? Is there room for improvement in your own behavior? Do you and your current partner need to make some changes to improve your relationship?
These are all things that have been coming to and will continue to be, in the forefront as this conjunction finishes out in the heavens. And don't be afraid to put your intentions out there for the things you want in relationships right now!
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Happy National Black Cat Day!
As a lifelong Halloween lover and cat lover, I am delighted to wish everyone a Happy Black Cat Day 🙂
I have always, until recently, had a black cat in my brood. Black cats also show up in my life to bring me messages from my ancestors. I don't take this as anything sinister. As a matter if fact, I feel like it is a message for me expressed in a way that I will pay attention, which is pretty darned clever, in my humble opinion!
Of course, all that black cat nonsense about their being signs of bad luck, etc…well that is just a bunch of nonsense! But legitimately, Black cats tend to be euthanized in animal shelters at a higher rate than felines of other colors. This fact has always been so heartbreaking ro me!
I have always found little black cats to be the most magically inclined and loyal! ( Though let's face it…kitties all seem to be rather otherworldly, don't they?)
Many shelters in the U.S. hold adoptions on black cats during the month of October as an effort to keep them from being harmed. I have noticed recently that most of my friends that have gotten cats or kittens in the past few years have adopted a black cat. Salem from Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Thackery Binx from Hocus Pocus were, I think, good P.R. for black cats everywhere 🙂 And though I have never had one who speaks "human"- I have noticed they tend to be the chatty sort, as far as cats are concerned 😉
So, in honor of this spooky season, I bid you all Happy Haunting, and may you all be lucky enough to be loved by a little black cat…or many!
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Samhain Incense!
This recipe is for loose incense, but you can adapt it for stick or cone recipes if you like. As you mix and blend your incense, focus on the goal of your work. Do you wish to contact the spirit of a long-dead ancestor? Are you hoping to bring some visions your way in a dream? Or are you maybe looking to enhance your own meditative abilities? Focus your intent as you blend your ingredients.
You’ll need:
- 2 parts Cinnamon
- 1 part ground cloves
- 1 part Dragon's Blood resin
- 1 part Hyssop
- 1 part Patchouli
- 2 parts Rosemary
- 1 part Sage
- A dash of sea salt
Add your ingredients to your mixing bowl one at a time. Measure carefully, and if the leaves or other items need to be crushed, use your mortar and pestle to do so. As you blend the herbs together, state your intent. You may find it helpful to charge your incense with an incantation. For example, if you were going to use your incense during a seance, you could use this:
The veil has thinned, the moon is bright
and I blend this magic on Samhain night.
Celebrating life and death and rebirth
with these herbs I've harvested from the earth.
I send my intent by smoke in the air
and call on those whose blood I share.
I ask my ancestors to guide and watch over me,
As I will, so it shall be.Store your incense in a tightly sealed jar. Make sure you label it with its intent and name, as well as the date you created it. Use within three months, so that it remains charged and fresh.
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Make an Ancestor Altar Cloth!
Make an Ancestor Altar Cloth
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An ancestor altar cloth is something you can make any time of the year, although it can come in particularly handy for Samhain/Fet Ghede, when many people choose to perform ancestor-focused rituals. This project can be as simple or as complex as you like, depending on your time constraints, creativity, and crafting skills.
You’ll need:
- A plain white or cream-colored tablecloth, or other piece of fabric
- Fabric pencil
- Embroidery floss and hoop, or fabric markers
- A genealogy of your ancestors
A few notes here, before you get started. There’s no hard and fast rule about how to do this — it’s a craft idea that is very personalized. Do what works best for you. If you’re handy with a needle and thread, you can embroider the cloth – it will definitely last longer that way. If you’re not confident about your stitching abilities, you can use fine-tipped fabric markers (keep in mind that this option may limit your ability to wash the altar cloth if it gets dirty or stained during ritual).
As to your genealogy, you can keep it simple if you like, or if you’ve never done any genealogy research. You’ll need the names of your parents, of their parents, their grandparents, and so on. If you want to include your children, you can do that too.
Start by putting yourself in the center, and writing your name carefully with a lightweight fabric pencil — these wash or brush off easily when you’re done. Branch out, including your parents’ names above you, one on each side. Using lines to connect everyone, gradually add the names of your ancestors. You can even include dates of birth and death, or place names if you have the room.
It’s best to do all of this in pencil first — or better yet, use Post-It Notes, one for each ancestor’s name – to position people around the cloth. If you know the names of lots of ancestors on one side, but only a few on the other, it can start looking lopsided pretty quickly, unless you’re able to rearrange people (this is why sticky notes are great).
Once you’ve figured out everyone’s placement, add the names in fabric pencil until you’ve included as many people as you like. If you’re going to embroider the names, work from one side to the other, just to keep things simple — you may even want to do different branches of the family, or different generations, in alternating colors. If you opt to use fabric markers for the final work, be careful! Stitches can always be picked out, but markers are permanent.
Keep in mind that the very act of creation is a magical one, and you can utilize the crafting of this altar cloth as a ritual in and of itself. Particularly if you're stitching, there's a very meditative aspect to the creative process. After you’ve put everyone’s names on the fabric, use it as an altar cloth for rituals involving ancestor work.
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Chief of the Guardian Angels!
Barachiel is an archangel known as the angel of blessings and this angel is also the chief of all of the guardian angels. Barachiel (who is also often known as "Barakiel") means "God's blessings." Other spellings include Barchiel, Baraqiel, Barkiel, Barbiel, Barakel, Baraqel, Pachriel, and Varachiel.
Barachiel intercedes in prayer before God for people in need, asking God to give them blessings in all areas of their lives, from their relationships with family and friends to their work. People ask for Barachiel's help in achieving success in their pursuits. Since Barachiel is also the chief of all guardian angels, people sometimes ask for Barachiel's help delivering a blessing through one of their personal guardian angels.
In art, Barachiel is usually depicted scattering rose petals that represent God's sweet blessings showering down on people, or holding a white rose (which also symbolizes blessings) to his chest. However, sometimes images of Barachiel show him holding either a basket that's overflowing with bread or a staff, both of which symbolize the blessings of producing children that God bestows on parents.
Barachiel sometimes appears in feminine form in paintings that emphasize Barachiel's nurturing work delivering blessings. Like all archangels, Barachiel doesn't have a specific gender and can manifest as either a male or a female, according to what works best in a given situation.
Green is the angel color for Barachiel. It represents healing and prosperity and is also associated with Archangel Raphael.
The Third Book of Enoch, an ancient Jewish text, describes archangel Barachiel as one of the angels who serve as great and honored angelic princes in heaven. The text mentions that Barachiel leads 496,000 other angels who work with him. Barachiel is part of the seraphim rank of angels who guard God's throne, as well as the leader of all the guardian angels who work with humans during their earthly lifetimes.
Barachiel is an official saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and he is also venerated as a saint by some members of the Roman Catholic Church. Catholic tradition says that Barachiel is the patron saint of marriage and family life. He may be shown carrying a book representing the Bible and Papal encyclicals that direct the faithful on how to conduct their marital and family life. He also traditionally has dominion over lightning and storms and also sees to the needs of converts.
Barachiel is one of the few angels that made it into the Lutheran liturgical calendar.
In astrology, Barachiel rules the planet Jupiter and is linked to the Pisces and Scorpio zodiacal signs. Barachiel is traditionally said to inspire a sense of humor in people who encounter God's blessings through him.
Barachiel is mentioned in the Almadel of Solomon, a book dating from the Middle Ages on how to contact angels by means of a wax tablet.
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The Archangel of Music!
The Archangel Sandalphon is known as the angel of music. He rules over music in heaven and helps people on Earth use music to communicate with God in prayer. Sandalphon means "co-brother," which refers to Sandalphon's status as the spiritual brother of the archangel Metatron. The ending of -on indicates that he ascended to his position as an angel after first having lived a human life, believed by some to be the prophet Elijah, who ascended to heaven on a horse-drawn chariot of fire and light. Other spellings of his name include Sandalfon and Ophan (Hebrew for "wheel").
Sandalphon also receives the prayers of people on Earth when they arrive in heaven, and he then weaves the prayers into spiritual flower garlands to present to God, according to the liturgy for the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles.
People sometimes ask for Sandalphon's help to deliver their prayers and songs of praise to God, and to learn how to use their God-given talents to make the world a better place. Sandalphon is said to have lived on Earth as the prophet Elijah before ascending to heaven and becoming an archangel, just as his spiritual brother, Archangel Metatron, lived on Earth as the prophet Enoch before becoming a heavenly archangel. Some people also credit Sandalphon with leading the guardian angels; others say that Archangel Barachiel leads the guardian angels.
In art, Sandalphon is often depicted playing music, to illustrate his role as the patron angel of music. Sometimes Sandalphon is also shown as an extremely tall figure since Jewish tradition says that the prophet Moses had a vision of heaven in which he saw Sandalphon, whom Moses described as being very tall. The angel color of red is associated with Archangel Sandalphon. It is also associated with Archangel Uriel.
Sandalphon rules one of the seven levels of heaven, according to religious texts, but they don't agree on which level. The ancient Jewish and Christian non-canonical Book of Enoch says that Sandalphon rules over the third heaven. The Islamic Hadith says that Sandalphon is in charge of the fourth heaven. The Zohar (a sacred text for Kabbalah) names the seventh heaven as the place where Sandalphon leads other angels. Sandalphon presides over the exit from the spheres of the Kabbalah's Tree of Life.
Sandalphon is said to join the angelic armies that archangel Michael leads to fight Satan and his evil forces in the spiritual realm. Sandalphon is a leader among the seraphim class of angels, who surround God's throne in heaven.
In astrology, Sandalphon is the angel in charge of planet Earth. Some people believe that Sandalphon helps differentiate the gender of children before they're born.
Source: Learnreligios.com Feb. 8, 2021
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St. Francis of Assisi Feast Day!
Hello!
Below is a short video about St. Francis. He is quite near and dear to our hearts hear at Spellmaker, due to our love of animals! The video is short but informative! I hope you enjoy it.
Love,
Sister Bridget
PS – Did you know St. Francis was canonized just TWO years after his passing? Now you do!
Fast Facts: St. Francis of Assisi
- Known For: Patron saint of animals
- Also Known As: Francesco (or Giovanni) di Pietro di Bernardone
- Born: c. 1181 in Assisi, Italy
- Parents: Pietro di Bernardone, Pica de Bourlemont
- Died: Oct. 3, 1226 in Assisi, Italy
- Notable Quote: "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
Prayer to Saint Francis of Assisi, for Our Pets:
Good St. Francis, you loved all of God's creatures. To you they were your brothers and sisters. Help us to follow your example of treating every living thing with kindness. St. Francis, Patron Saint of animals, watch over my pet and keep my companion safe and healthy. Amen.
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St. Francis of Assisi October 4 ~~~ Blessing of the Animals
Today, October 4th, is a day across the world where people take their pets to be blessed.
For single householders, a pet can be a true companion. Many people arrive home from work to find a furry friend overjoyed at their return. Many a senior has a lap filled with a purring fellow creature.
The bond between person and pet is like no other relationship, because the communication between fellow creatures is at its most basic. Eye-to-eye, a man and his dog, or a woman and her cat, are two creatures of love.
October 4th is the anniverary of the death of St Francis of Assisi. And on this day, he is remembered by many members of his order by accepting animals into their church to be blessed.
Click here to find a pet blessing happening in your area.
If you cant find a place in your neighborhood, you can use one of these prayers below to bless your pet yourself 😉 Dont forget, Mambo Sam has blessed her own holy water that you can use with your pet blessing, or also some Samantha's Spiritual Annointing oil would be good as well.
Also, please feel free to send in a prayer request for your pet to my personal prayer list for pets. Email your request to prayforpets@spellmaker.com
Love,
Sister Bridget
Here are some prayers for all animals:
Blessed are you, Lord God,
maker of all living creatures.
On the fifth and sixth days of creation,
you called forth fish in the sea,
birds in the air and animals on the land.
You inspired St. Francis to call all animals
his brothers and sisters.
We ask you to bless this animal.
By the power of your love,
enable it to live according to your plan.
May we always praise you
for all your beauty in creation.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures! Amen.For a sick animal:
Heavenly Father,
you created all things for your glory
and made us stewards of this creature.
If it is your will, restore it to health and strength.
Blessed are you, Lord God,
and holy is your name for ever and ever. Amen.
