Colors: Gold, white
Direction: Heaven
Purposes: Protection, good luck, good fortune (the number of points make the stars more significant)
Hearts—Spirit Element
Colors: Red, pink
Direction: None (as love infuses everything)
Purposes: Love, compassion, humility, healing
Crescent/Archway—Combination of Spirit, Metal, and Water
Colors: White, silver, gold, blue
Directions: West or north and northwest
Purposes: Moon magick, timing, protection, women, children, creativity, luck from heaven
Rite of Stone
Arrange your thirteen chosen gemstones around your dedication candle. You will not light your dedication candle tonight; instead, we are preparing your altar for the final ceremony. Put your magick key beside your dedication candle. Light the incense and pass it over all the items on your altar.
On a white candle (not the dedication candle), inscribe the word stone with a pin, nail, or clay-inscribing tool. Place the candle in safe holder, and light. Sprinkle your herb mixture around the base of the candle. Intone the following charm, holding your hands over the stones:
Herbal magick, speak to me
Of gems’ and stones’ ability
In dark of night or sun’s bright day
To help me in my witching way!
Pick up one stone and say aloud three times something that you are grateful for. Then say, “Thank you, it works, always a blessing,” and smile. Do this with the remaining twelve stones, indicating something different you are grateful for with each successive stone. Meditate for fifteen minutes on the meaning of stone in the life of a spiritual person. Using the stones or gems, create a shape that signifies accomplishment to you. This will be your magickal stone shape. Be sure to draw this image in your HedgeWitch journal. Allow the candle to burn completely. Leave your gemstones in the shape you chose near your dedication candle until your final ceremony night. Take an extra fifteen minutes this night to contemplate the changes you have experienced and what you truly desire in the transformation of the self. And most of all, never forget to be grateful!
Before you drift off to sleep, close this evening by saying:
Peace with the gods
Peace with nature
Peace within.
It always works.
Always a blessing.
Remember to smile!
Eleventh Night
Your affirmation for today:Just like the sun and the moon, I bring light to the world. I shine in everything I say and do. Just like the power of the sun, I attract all good things into my world and share this light of good fortune with others.
Your symbols for today: sun and moon
Begin your day: Begin in the morning by reading the affirmation for the day. Today’s segment concentrates on heavenly energies, specifically that of the sun and moon, but all planets and stars can be a part of your contemplation, especially if you currently study astrology. If you can catch both the sunrise and the sunset today, all the better!
Close your eyes, quiet your mind, smile, and allow the peace of Spirit to fully enter your body. Then repeat the words sun and moon softly, conjuring your vision of these glowing orbs in your mind. Open your eyes, and repeat the affirmations for today at least three times. Remember to smile as you finish! Throughout the day, repeat the affirmations as many times as you like. Begin and end with a smile. Write down in a small notebook (or your HedgeWitch journal) anything unusual about this day and events, people, or places that carry a strong sun and moon association. In this way, you will be prepared to perform the eleventh night Rite of Celestial Power.
In HedgeWitchery, the sun, or Greater Light, stands for your will, and the moon, or Lesser Light, equates to the second sight of Spirit. In primordial speech, the sun translates to “I want,” and the moon is your connection to Spirit, which is communicated through your emotions. If you feel good, then you are in harmony with Spirit. If you are unhappy, angry, or sad, this is your signal that communication is blocked, and the manifestations you desire in your life will either take a very long time or not occur at all.
Sun/moon is an example of partnership as well as duality. There is always a “have” and a “have not” to any situation. Be sure today you are not concentrating on the “have not” while you are trying to think of the “have.” Go over primal language again, and double-check your thoughts and visualizations today. Be sure you are not concentrating on “lack” in your life. Instead, fill this void with the light of promise by your thoughts and actions focused on the attractive power of the universe.
To do today: The number eleven stands for the empowerment of the mind. It is through the perfection of our thoughts and our connection to Spirit that any change or manifestation can take place. Today you are to find a calendar that marks the new and full moons for the next thirteen months. You can find this information in the wide selection of Llewellyn calendars and datebooks, on the Net by visiting the Farmers’ Almanac website, or by picking up an almanac at your favorite bookstore. Garden shops often carry calendars and almanacs as well. Write the dates and times of the new and full moons in your HedgeWitch journal. Beside each moon, write what astrological sign the moon is in on that day. Next, using primal language, write a goal beside each new and full moon. Use the information below to help you determine what type of goal fits each type of moon. I’ve also provided the quarter information, as you may find this helpful in the future as well.
New Moon and First Quarter: Beginnings
Second Quarter: Building, growth
Full Moon: Harvest and additional power
Third Quarter: Adding finishing touches, closing
Fourth Quarter: Complete endings, review (strongest the day before new)
If you understand astrology, you may wish to match your intended goal to the energy of the astrological sign. Remember not to focus on “lack”—only on attraction. Next, research the lunar and solar eclipses for the coming year. Write down where the moon and the sun will be (in terms of astrological sign) on those days. Write a goal for each that matches the astrological sign energies present at those times.
Today I will release…trapped energy. Clear out and illuminate a dark corner in your house. Go through your kitchen cabinets, and throw out old cans, boxes, bottles, and jars of food. Wipe down the refrigerator, microwave, and other electrical appliances.
Weekly planner: If you are spending a week on this rite, learn to make the magickal berry ink and quill pen in Section 5. Use this ink in your magickal petitions and to write your goals for the coming year.
Herbs for today: Choose any seven herbs or resins from the list provided below. Combine your choices to make your own herbal power mix; a blend that can be used in a variety of future workings. This will become your signature blend. You can also substitute scents rather than the herb. For example, you might choose a combination of sandalwood, myrrh, cedar, clove, copal, and orange rind mixed with a few drops of gardenia or jasmine essential oil or fragrance. This particular blend is suited to use as a potpourri or burned loose on an incense charcoal tab. Both lists were chosen for what you may readily be able to obtain from the grocer, florist, your own garden or property, or from your favorite magickal store. There are many more herbs with sun and moon correspondences. For a fuller selection of what you might choose, see Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs.
Sun herbs: allspice, ash, basil, bay, carnation, cedar, celandine, chili pepper, cinnamon, clove, copal, dill, dragon’s blood, fennel, ginger, hyssop, juniper, lime, marigold, nutmeg, orange, pepper, peppermint, pine, rosemary, rue, sunflower, walnut, woodruff
Moon herbs: coconut, eucalyptus, gardenia, jasmine, lemon balm, mallow, myrrh, poppy, sandalwood, willow
Supplies for tonight
: your signature herbal blend, one gold and one silver candle, the calendar with your goals, your magickal bell or chimes, incense of your choice
Rite of Celestial Power
Place your calendar on the center of the altar, along with your magickal key. Ring your bell or chimes eleven times. If you can, go outside and light your favorite incense. If you are confined inside, try to position yourself near a window with a good view of the heavens. Stand looking up at the heavens, and say:
Celestial magick, speak to me
Of sun and moon and heaven’s sea
Of signs and lights of starry sky
That shine within the HedgeWitch eye
That flow around the HedgeWitch heart
To focus into HedgeWitch art.
Thank you!
You may wish to bless your herbal mixture with the following charm:
Sacred Spirit, light the way
Bless my work with herbs this day!
Air bestowing…
Sunlight glowing…
Droplets flowing…
Field of sowing…
Moonlight nourish garden growing!
Hand of joy and heart of knowing…
Leafy vines and sweetened fruit…
Cast the pattern of pursuit!
HedgeWitch power I invoke
Heaven’s prayers like sacred smoke
Clear the way to manifest
That desire which I think best. Thank you!
Place the herbs on top of the calendar. Write the word sun on the gold candle. Write the word moon on the silver candle. Ring your magick bell to match your personal power number. This is to help you focus. Light the sun candle, and say:
I focus my will.
Light the moon candle, and say:
I empower my will with my emotions.
Ring the bell eleven times to match the mind-mastery significance of the number eleven.
Sit quietly and stare at the dual burning candles. When you are ready, intone the HedgeWitch incantation of power, focusing your mind on those thirteen goals you wrote in the calendar. Once you have focused on the goals in this ceremony, you will let them go. You won’t look at this calendar for a full year, until the anniversary of this night.
Incantation of Power
Power of the east, winds of sacred birth
Gather all your forces and bring desire to earth.
Power of the south, winds of hot creation
Separate the earth by fire, refine this incantation.
Power of the west, winds of down below
Bubble up to meet the sky and make the pattern so!
Power of the north, winds of sacred treasure
Solidify my own desire and formulate the measure!
Power of the spirit, winds of dusk and dawn
Align the planets in their places, words convey the song!
Power of myself, the winds of my demand
Emotions seek to formulate and bring about my plan!
Power of the still point, from which I manifest
I have the key to make it be, and Spirit does the rest!
Ring the bell eleven times, and then say: “Thank you! That was easy! It always works. Always a blessing!”
Meditate for five minutes on the meaning of the sun and moon in your magickal life and how your thoughts and actions bring light to the world. How have you changed in the past eleven days? How do you wish to continue to shine your light into the world? In your own life? In the lives of your family members and friends? Draw your secret symbol for the celestial power of the sun and moon in your HedgeWitch journal. Allow the sun and moon candles to burn completely if you can. Wrap the calendar and herbs together in a brown paper bag. Seal securely with tape and write to be opened on: and next year’s date. Put in a safe place.
Before you drift off to sleep, close this evening by saying:
Peace with the gods
Peace with nature
Peace within.
It always works. Always a blessing.
Remember to smile!
Twelfth Night
Your affirmation for today: Through personal education, I open the door to knowledge. Every day I will seek to learn something new and beneficial to my well-being.
Your symbol for today: a tree or grove of trees
Begin your day: Begin in the morning by reading the affirmation for the day. Today’s segment concentrates on wood, associating this energy with that of the longevity of Spirit and the protection it offers to plants and animals. Close your eyes, quiet your mind, smile, and allow Spirit to fully enter your body. Then repeat the word wood softly, conjuring your vision of wood in your mind. Open your eyes and repeat the affirmation at least three times. Remember to smile as you finish! Throughout the day, repeat the affirmation as many times as you like. Begin and end with a smile. Write down in a small notebook (or your HedgeWitch journal) anything unusual about this day and events, people, or places that carry a strong wood association. In this way, you will be prepared to perform the twelfth night Rite of the Enchanted Woods.
To do today: If you could learn anything, without regard to budget, what would it be? Whether it is learning to fly a plane or knit, there are several things you’ve always said you’d like to learn but just don’t seem to have the time. Rather than making excuses, why not make time right now? Even if you can’t start today, you can look into avenues to bring you the education you desire. By the end of the day, you should have chosen at least one thing to learn and have taken the first steps to pursue that knowledge. Various cultures over the centuries have associated good fortune and personal luck with animal symbology. Today, you will look for your personal HedgeWitch lucky animal symbol. Here you will find a quick, cross-cultural list of lucky animals and their traditional colors that may help you in your search.
Bats: red—good fortune and prosperity; black—occult learning
Butterflies: purple and blue—freedom, beauty, creativity, healing;
red, yellow, and orange—prosperity and opportunity
Bears: good health, long life
Birds, Flying: good luck and opportunity; red—action; blue—healing; black—information
Black Tortoise: support, longevity, protection
Green Tortoise: prosperity and spirit
Cat: independence and magick; physics
Cranes: white—longevity
Crimson Phoenix: good fortune, hearth and home; rebirth
Crows/Ravens: thought, memory, and messages
Deer: longevity, the male aspect of God (no traditional color)
Dog: loyalty, family, heightened senses (no traditional color)
Dragon: general good fortune, harnessing the world (In the Asian cultures, different colors relate to various magickal properties.)
Dragonfly: green—fast cash;
blue—visions and dreams
Ducks: matrimonial bliss (always seen in pairs; no traditional color)
Elephant: silver—good fortune, good health, and career luck
Fish: gold—career luck, especially if depicted in pairs
Frogs: green—good luck and prosperity
Geese: long, happy marriage (especially in pairs); good fortune and the spirit of adventure (no color)
Hippopotamus: silver—protection for women and children
Horse: gold—running or war horse, courage, speed, and success; white—great wealth
Hummingbird: green or gold—fast
cash, attraction
Lions: gold or red—protection against robbery or theft
Lizard: green—laughter and joy
Monkey: gold—promotion
Ox, Bull, Cow: gold or red—wealth and wishes
Snake: gold—wisdom
Toad: red—supreme good fortune, especially if the toad has only three legs
Wolf: silver—family luck and harmony, education
***
Today I will release…any and all fears I have about my future.
Weekly planner: If you are spending a week on this rite, spend your time making potpourri or magickal sachets, using barks, leaves, flowers, and essential oils, or decorate a wreath that matches the magickal correspondences of what you desire to bring into your life. Hang this wreath on your front door as a welcome signal to those energies. Remember: accepting your desire is just as important as formulating it!
Herbs for today: any magickal wood or bark
Supplies for tonight: none
Rite of the Enchanted Woods
There are two ways in which you can perform this rite. You can visit the physical woods (with a friend) in a safe area sometime throughout the day or afternoon, or you can use the magickal wood chosen under the “herbs for today” category and creatively visualize, in quiet surroundings, a trip to the woods while holding that representation. Your goal is to reach a magickal clearing and find a gift that is just for you. This gift will be a quality, such as patience, good humor, etc. Standing in the clearing (either physically or in your mind), you will ask your ancestors to help you pull this shining quality into yourself.
Begin with the general HedgeWitch conjuration, which you can use for all types of magickal work in the future:
General HedgeWitch Conjuration
Spirit circle thrice around
Shift to still point find.
Power up and power down
East to touch the mind.
Breathing in and breathing out
Balance of the rhyme.
Light becomes and power flows
Southern fiery chime!
Sight and sound activate
The window west of time.
Loop and circle undulates
Vibration of the sign.
Northern eyes create the thing
A portal key of kind.
Bring desire to gravity
The pattern I design.
HedgeWitch Page 10