“The Womb”

Beltane Resource Masterpost

A collection of categorized links for your Beltane needs! What is Beltane? [X] Beltane is celebrated between April 30th to May 1st (October 31st to November 1st in the S. Hemisphere) and is also called: May Day, Lá Bealtaine, and Beltaine!

The Basics:

Beltane correspondences

More Beltane correspondences!

Beltane suggestions

Things to do on Beltane / Activities and ideas / Beltane activities list

Celebrate Beltane / How to celebrate

Beltane for secular witches

Midsummer - Spoonie witch friendly

Beltane on a budget

Urban witch on Beltane

Beltane Crafts:

Beltane wreath

How to make a May basket

Beltane Recipes:

Beltane strawberry lemon passion bars

Bealtaine recipe list

Beltane fae tea

Beltane cider

Beltane Spells:

Beltane eve fairy spell

Beltane dew ritual

Bealtaine pet protection prayer

Beltane manifestation spell

Invocation to spring

Self love bath sachet

Beltane spell jar

Beltane Tarot Spreads:

Beltane growth spread (3 card)

Beltane tarot spread (4 card)

The Beltane fire tarot spread (6 card)

Beltane tarot spread (6 card)

Spring tarot spread (16 card)

Other:

Beltane masterpost

Last updated October of 2022, please inform me of broken links via askbox!

Imbolc / Ostara / Beltane / Litha / Lammas / Mabon / Samhain / Yule / Bedridden ideas

Crystals for Zodiac Signs

Add Some Oomph to Your Spells with Magical Timing

Like herbs, oils, and crystals, you don’t need to work with magical timing for your spell to be successful. You can cast a spell at any time, no matter your intention, and get your desired results. However, working with the energy of the sun, moon, and days of the week can add an extra power boost to your magic.

Think of it this way: certain energies are dominant at certain times. Those energies are easier to connect with because they are closer at hand, so to speak, so you can bring them into your life and your spells more easily and in a more powerful way. That doesn’t mean you can’t call on other energies during these times — it just means that you may not connect to them quite so easily.

If you choose to work with magical timing in your spells, there are several yearly, monthly, weekly, and even daily cycles you can align your spells with.

The Cycle of the Sun: Solstices and Equinoxes

These are the turning points that mark the solar year, and are associated with the relationships between day and night, light and dark, summer and winter. Each solstice or equinox marks the end of one season and the beginning for the next. Because they are so rare and so potent, these days are a great time for your “big picture” spells or for spells that need a big power boost.

Winter Solstice. The winter solstice marks the shortest day and longest night of the year, and falls between December 20 and December 23, depending on the year. In some pagan traditions the winter solstice, or Yule, marks the beginning of the new year — you may choose to set intentions for the coming year on this solstice. After the winter solstice, the nights start getting shorter and the days start getting longer — so spells related to healing and bringing things into the light are especially effective at this time of year. The winter solstice marks the end of the “dark half” of the year and beginning of the “light half” of the year; at this point, our focus turns from inward reflection to outward manifestation. You may choose to think of the time between the winter solstice and spring equinox as a “planning phase,” where you examine yourself and your desires, decide what you want to work on in the next year, and make plans for manifesting what you want.

Spring Equinox. An equinox occurs when the day and the night are exactly the same length, representing a perfect balance between light and dark. The spring equinox marks the beginning of spring and occurs between March 19 and March 22. The Christian holiday of Easter and the pagan holiday of Ostara are both related to the energy of this equinox. At this time of year, the natural world is coming back to life as winter begins to fade. Plants are beginning to grow, and baby animals are being born. This is a powerful time of year for fertility magic and any magic related to new beginnings. You may choose to think of the time between the spring equinox and the summer solstice as a “planting phase,” where you “plant the seed” of the things you want to manifest and begin doing the work to make it happen.

Summer Solstice. This solstice marks the longest day and shortest night of the year. It occurs between June 19 and June 23. As I am writing this post, we are coming up on the summer solstice (June 20, 2020). Life, fertility, and growth are at their peak during this time of year, which makes this solstice a perfect time for big manifestation spells. At the same time, this marks the end of the “light half” and beginning of the “dark half” of the year, so after the summer solstice our energy shifts from outward manifestation to inward contemplation. You may choose to think of the time between the summer solstice and fall equinox as the “harvest phase,” where you reap the results of your hard work and manifest your desires in the physical world.

Autumn Equinox. This is the other time of year when the day and night are perfectly balanced. The autumn equinox occurs between September 19 and September 23 and marks the beginning of autumn. This is traditionally the time of year when crops are harvested, and many pagan groups celebrate harvest festivals around this time. Nature is beginning to die or go into hibernation in preparation for the coming winter. This is an especially powerful time of year for shadow work or for magic related to endings and transitions. You may choose to think of the time between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice as the “reflection phase,” when you retreat from the outside world to rest, focus on yourself, and do your inner work and self-healing.

Important Note: This post lists dates for the solstices and equinoxes in the Northern hemisphere. In the Southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed. If you live in the Southern hemisphere, you would observe the winter solstice in June, the spring equinox in September, the summer solstice in December, and the fall equinox in March.

The Cycle of the Moon: Lunar Phases

If you don’t have time to wait for the appropriate solstice or equinox, you can still connect with the cosmos in your magic. One of the biggest pros of the lunar cycle is that it happens roughly every month — so you never have to wait very long for the next full moon. The moon is also associated with magic and spirituality in several traditions, which makes it an especially powerful astral ally for witches.

New Moon. The new moon is when the moon is completely invisible in the night sky, and is the phase opposite the full moon. The new moon is a powerful time for shadow work (because it deals with things that are hidden) and for magic related to new beginnings.

Waxing Moon. The moon is waxing when it appears to be growing in the night sky; this is the phase between the new moon and full moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with drawing something in, building something up, or strengthening something that already exists.

Full Moon. Many witches believe that the full moon is the most powerful time of month for any kind of magic. This is a good time to cast any spell that needs a serious power boost. The full moon is also an especially powerful time to release what no longer serves you or to work healing magic.

Waning Moon. The moon is waning when it appears to be shrinking in the night sky; this is the phase between the full moon and new moon. This is a powerful time for any magic that deals with sending something away, banishing negative energy, or bringing something to an end.

Dark Moon. The dark moon is the three day period immediately before the new moon. In some traditions, it is believed to be bad luck to cast spells during the dark moon. Other traditions hold that the dark moon is the best point in the lunar cycle for destructive magic, such as curses and hexes. Many modern witches don’t recognize the dark moon as a separate moon phase at all. I personally like to use the dark moon as a time for self reflection, and may focus on shadow work during this time.

Magical Correspondences for the Days of the Week

The days of the week also have their own unique magical energies, and each day is linked to a certain planet and to certain deities.

Sunday. Sunday is, of course, connected to the Sun and solar deities. Sunday is the best day of the week for any manifestation magic that needs an extra boost. Its energy is also associated with healing, personal growth, power, and success.

Monday. Monday is associated with the Moon and lunar deities. Monday is a quiet, introspective day, and can feel very ethereal. It’s the best day for magic related to intuition, nurturing, and shadow work.

Tuesday. Tuesday is associated with Mars and with gods and goddesses of war and action. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Tyr/Tiw.) Tuesday is a very “active” day, and is good for magic related to action, activism, victory, or finding courage.

Wednesday. Wednesday is associated with Mercury and with gods and goddesses of wisdom, learning, and communication. (It is named for the Norse/Germanic god Odin/Wodan.) Wednesday is all about mental activity. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to thought, travel, communication (written, spoken, or digital), and learning/study.

Thursday. Thursday is associated with Jupiter and with gods and goddesses of prosperity, wealth, and protection. (It is named after the Norse/Germanic god Thor.) Thursday, like Jupiter in astrology, is all about outward expansion. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to career, prosperity, and wealth.

Friday. Friday is associated with Venus and with gods and goddesses of love, fertility, and sensuality. (It is named after the Norse goddess Freyja, or perhaps the goddess Frigg.) The energy of Friday is fun, lighthearted, and sexy. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to love, beauty, and sex/sexuality.

Saturday. Saturday is associated with Saturn and with time and wisdom. (The day and the planet are both named after the Roman god Saturn.) Saturday is practical and wise, but it does have a little bit of a dark side. It’s the best day of the week for magic related to banishing and protection.

Magical Times of Day

Okay, so you’d like to start working with magical timing, but what about emergency magic and last-minute spells? What if you don’t have time to wait for the next full moon, or even the next Sunday? You can still align your spell with magical timing! There are several moments of power each day, and each has its own magical associations.

Sunrise. Sunrise is, of course, the birth of the new day. This makes it the perfect time for spells related to new beginnings or expanded possibilities.

Noon. This is the peak or high point of the day. This is a powerful time for healing magic.

Sunset. Sunset is the end of the day, and forms a gateway between light and dark. This is a great time for spells related to accepting endings, releasing that which does not serve, and moving on from the past.

Midnight. If noon is the peak of the day, then midnight is the peak of the night. Midnight has a very ethereal, transformational energy. Like with the full moon, some witches believe that any spell will be more powerful if cast at midnight. This is a powerful time for both banishing and attraction magic.

Resources:

You Are Magical by Tess Whitehurst

Green Witchcraft by Paige Vanderbeck

Wicca for Beginners by Thea Sabin [specifically the chapter on the sabbats]

Qabalah Made Easy by David Wells [Note: Qabalah is based on an appropriation of Jewish mysticism, and I am NOT endorsing its practice. However, much of the magical timing associations used in modern witchcraft is shared with Qabalah and other forms of ceremonial magic, which is why it’s referenced here.]

🔥 ✨Burn it Down: Banishing Yule Fire Burning Bundle✨🔥

Because this year’s Yule fire is a funeral pyre. Burn it down.

This is a bundle of herbs similar to what you’d normally use for smoke cleansing, only instead of lighting the end, this one is tossed into your Yule Fire.

If you don’t have the ability to have a fire large enough to toss herbs into, you can instead make this into and infused oil to anoint a Yule candle with or whatever you may use to represent the burning of the past year. ***

Gather:

🔥 Something that represents what you want to burn down and leave behind in the dark. It could be anything from a piece of paper with things written on it, to a cord with knots tied in it each representing a different thing to burn, or a tarot card that represents what you’re moving on from (though keep in mind, whatever you use will be destroyed in the fire.) 🔥 Pine or fir boughs. Enough to suite the size of your fire. I usually use 6-8" pieces for a campfire. Or, if you’re making this into an anointing oil, enough needles to fill your jar halfway. 🔥 Hawthorn thorns. For heart protection. Any funeral pyre brings grief, regardless of what’s burning down. Protect your heart and keep your boundaries with thorns enough to lay throughout your bundle. 🔥 Rosemary Sprigs. Banishing, cleansing, clearing the mind. 🔥 Cinnamon stick(s) - banishing but also sweetening the energy, softening the blow. 🔥 Black Candle 🔥 Natural cord of some sort, twine, cotton cord or hemp.

- Light your candle and do whatever ritual openings you usually do.

- Lay your thing to burn down, evergreen boughs, rosemary sprigs, and cinnamon stick(s,) out so that they’re in a ‘log’ or bundle shape that you could get your hands around tightly to bind it up with a cord.

- Start by tying the cord around one end and then slowly and snugly wrap the cord around the bundle working from one end to the other and back. You can tie knots along the way to help keep it securely bound together. As you wrap the cord around, every so often lay a hawthorn thorn into the bundle, careful to place them in a way that you won’t prick your hands.

- After it’s all bound and finished, drip wax from the black candle all over the bundle. Caution of the hot wax on your skin though, unless that’s your kind of thing.

- Then at whatever point in your Yule fire ritual it’s appropriate, toss in the bundle and watch it burn.

- Alternatively, if you’re making an infused oil, it’s best to dry your plant material first to avoid mold growth in your finished oil.  Cinnamon is a possible skin irritant so if you plan on using this anointing oil on your skin, either do a test patch first, or skip the cinnamon stick. Steep the herbs in enough apricot kernel oil (or other carrier oil) to cover the plant material by an inch or so for 4-6 weeks, then strain out the plant material, and you have a shelf-stable anointing oil for candles or your body (external use only.) Apricot kernel oil will go rancid in about a year, so only make as much as you’ll use up! You can further preserve your oil with vitamin e or other skin-safe preservative. Use this to dress your yule candle and witch it burn all the way down.

- You could also grind the herbal ingredients, along with the ash from burning the ‘something that represents what you want to burn down’ in your yule fire, into a powder and use it as a powder if that suits your needs. Though evergreen needs are /very/ resinous, so if you’re using an herb grinder of any kind, keep in mind it will get sticky and is difficult to clean afterwards. Which is why I have one electric grinder for coffee, and one for medicinal/edible herbs, that way my coffee doesn’t taste like pine in the morning.. though that doesn’t sound terrible in all honesty. 

*** Always practice fire safety! Know how to anoint candles with oil /safely/ and have a fire extinguisher near by because oil fires can’t be put out with water. If you’re having an outdoor fire, make sure you’re following your region’s bylaws and have water near by!

Stay Curious, Witches