~ Spell of the day ~

[Neamhain Riona]

Don’t Sweat It Spell

March 19
Friday

Color of the day: Pink
Incense of the day: Violet

Today is the day that the swallows traditionally return to the San Juan Capistrano mission in California. The swallow teaches us to not let the small stuff get to us. To not sweat the small stuff, gather a small scrap of black fabric, a small black candle, string, and a dish of salt. Light the black candle and tell it all the small stuff you would like to banish from your life. When you are through, extinguish the candle with a snuffer—don’t blow it out. Wrap the candle in the black cloth and tie it securely. Place it in the dish of salt to purify it. Keep it there and be free of worrying about the small things in life. At the next Full Moon when you are free of the stress, dismantle the bundle and dispose of it by either burying it or burning it all.

 

[Neamhain Riona]

Laying Eggs

March 20
Saturday
Ostara - Spring Equinox -
International Astrology Day

Color of the day: Gray
Incense of the day: Sage

Bless and pray over one dozen eggs. Fill them with the energy of your dreams and desires. When they are fully charged, hard boil and decorate them to express the things you most want to manifest in your life. Gather cozy pillows and blankets to create a nest for your eggs that will evenly distribute their weight and prevent them from getting squished. As you begin this meditation, position yourself over your nest as a devoted mother would and do not break from meditation until you feel your eggs radiating warmth and life beneath you. Draw energy out of your own heart and place a little spark of it inside of each egg. While you tend to your nest, envision each of your desires coming to fruition and focus clearly on the details of their fruition. When each of them is fully realized in your mind’s eye, gather your eggs and store in the icebox; eat one egg a day until they are gone.
Estha McNevin

 

[Neamhain Riona]

Iranian New Year

March 21
Sunday

Color of the day: Amber
Incense of the day: Marigold

Spring-cleaning and feasting mark this day for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Traditional foods include herb and spinach omelets and snacks made with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. A table is decorated with candles, incense, fruit, garlic, pastries, coins, and a mirror for every person in the family—and a live goldfish in a bowl of water. This represents the world floating in space and time. Everyone sits perfectly still at the stroke of midnight, as the Earth rolls into a new year. Create your own version of this celebration by cleaning house and performing a cleansing ritual, followed by a feast. Mix a few pinches of dried rosemary and sage in water and use a spray bottle to mist the air.
Water and herbs, cleanse this space,
Bring peace and good will to this place.
As we feast, please bless us, too,
Our hopes and dreams we now renew.

 

[Neamhain Riona]

There’s No Place Like Home Spell

March 22
Monday

Color of the day: Lavender
Incense of the day: Clary sage

Your home should be a haven for yourself. It should be a zone of comfort and you should feel protected and loved. This is the time of year to work on cleaning up your home, clearing out negative energy and reinforcing your protective spellworks. Chalk pentacles on the doors and windows for protection; clean everything up with lavender and rose (if you are allergic, make proper substitutions) and either smudge or use a mixture of salt, lavender buds, and bay leaf ground up fine on the rugs and furniture to ground out negativity. Sweep that all up in a twenty-four-hour period. Spray a lavender oil/water mix and burn some cedar incense to release calm. Wash up window coverings and bedding, and wash down the kitchen and bath. You will be surprised at the amount of negativity you will remove and how good your home feels.

 

[Neamhain Riona]

Festival of Minerva

March 23
Tuesday

Color of the day: Red
Incense of the day: Bayberry

On this day, ancient Romans celebrated the Festival of Minerva. To honor her, musicians and poets paraded to her shrines and performed their greatest works. Minerva rules wisdom, poetry, warcraft, medicine, and commerce. Born from the head of her father, this virgin goddess bows to neither god nor man. Even now, she appears in statues and seals of universities. Celebrate her festival by going to a civic event, practicing martial arts, performing poetry, or learning a self-sufficient skill. Decorate with images of owls, shields, and spears. Her colors are white and Tyrian purple. Invoke her with these words:
Minerva of the quick wit
And steel-strong spine,
I call on you!
The flash of your eyes
Is the sun on a sword’s blade
Teach me to cut to the heart
Of all things
And to listen for wisdom
In the silence of an owl’s flight.

 

[Neamhain Riona]

Day of Blood

March 24
Wednesday

Color of the day: Brown
Incense of the day: Bay laurel

This day was a day of mourning for the Roman god Attis, who castrated himself out of guilt after he betrayed his lover, Cybele. He bled to death, and was then resurrected. This represents the life cycle of cutting down and rising again, as mourners held a vigil over an empty tomb, symbolizing the god’s resurrection. This universal cycle is celebrated in many different ways in various religious traditions during the springtime of the year. To symbolize the blood of life and the cycle of renewal, decorate your altar (or other sacred space) with red and white flowers and candles. Fill a goblet with red wine or red fruit juice and chant the following:
As all things, wax and wane,
Life does, too, again and again.
Celebrate the cycle of life as you drink and save a little liquid to pour outside on the ground as an offering to the Earth.

 

[Neamhain Riona]

Cookies to Smooth Relationships

March 25
Thursday

Color of the day: Green
Incense of the day: Nutmeg

Spring is the season of new life, Lady Day biscuits called “Queen’s Biscuits” can be made and shared with family and friends to smooth relations for the year. This recipe makes about six dozen cookies. Ingredients include 4 cups sifted flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder,   teaspoon salt, 1 cup shortening, 2 slightly beaten eggs,   cup milk and   pound sesame seeds. Grease two cookie sheets lightly. In a bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut mixture with a pastry blender or two knives until pieces resemble size of small peas. Add shortening, eggs, and milk and form it into dough. Break dough into small pieces and roll each between palms until it is 1 inch in length. Flatten slightly and roll in sesame seeds. Place them on cookie sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes or until cookies are browned.

 

[Neamhain Riona]

Blooming Creativity

March 26
Friday

Color of the day: Coral
Incense of the day: Thyme

Though the possibility of some late wintry weather is not out of the question, in most parts of the world life is bursting out everywhere in shades of light green and rich, earthy brown. Perhaps the creative force inherent at this time of year inspired the poet Robert Frost, whose birthday is today. Take some time today and see if you can’t tap into some of that creativity, and try to incorporate something from the natural world around you. Write a poem about new leaves, make a sculpture out of cold spring mud, arrange a bouquet of daffodils. Consider making your nature creation an offering to the creative life force within all things—leave it under a tree or in an icy, rushing brook, or set it on your altar to remind you of the beauty and power life can hold.

 

[Neamhain Riona]

A Spell for Safe Travel

March 27
Saturday

Color of the day: Blue
Incense of the day: Magnolia

To craft a spell bag attuned to safety in travel, draw the rune Raido on a fabric drawstring bag made of orange fabric. On the opposite side, draw the astrological symbol for Mercury. Fill the bag with any amount of moss (Spanish moss, Icelandic moss, oak moss, general tree moss, etc.) and seaweed (kelp or another variety), as well as a large tiger’s eye stone for clear sight.
Draw a giant eye on either side of
an orange sheet of construction paper, fold it three times, and stick it inside the bag. Close the bag and knot it tightly shut. Hold it to your third eye (Ajna) chakra and say something like:
Spirits of Mercury and
spirits of air; spirits of travel and spirits of care, with this bag I do intend; to keep me safe until the end. In all my travels and all my jaunts, know that it’s your protection I want. Keep me aware and keep me secure; these prayers of safety I humbly ask of you.
Repeat this prayer eight times and carry the bag with you on any trip by car, bus, plane, boat, or bicycle.

 

[Neamhain Riona]

Pansy Love Magic

March 28
Sunday
Palm Sunday

Color of the day: Orange
Incense of the day: Eucalyptus

One of the first flowers I plant each spring is pansies. Their cheery colors bring a touch of spring to flowerbeds, pots, and window boxes. These old-fashioned flowers have been used in love magic since the Victorian era, and can be easily used to enhance a love spell. To create some pansy love magic of your own, try this. First, write your name and your lover’s name on a small piece of paper; place the paper in the bottom of a six-inch flowerpot. Fill with potting soil. Plant your pot with pansies in the color associated with your wish. Here are some examples. For better communication, plant yellow or orange pansies. For understanding, use pink or maroon pansies. To promote peace and understanding, plant blue and violet pansies. Use white for faithfulness. Water your pansies regularly and watch your love grow.

 

[Neamhain Riona]

Yemaya Bath Ritual

March 29
Monday

Full Moon 10:25 pm
Color of the day: Gray
Incense of the day: Hyssop

Yemaya is the supreme mother goddess of the Yoruba traditions and presides over all waters. Call upon her deep powers of love and healing this night in a bath ritual. You’ll need seven blue candles, a lunar stone (preferably moonstone), seven white rose petals, seven pinches of sea salt, and seven drops of lavender, peppermint, or passionflower essential oil. Begin by lighting the candles around the tub and drawing a bath. Take a few deep breaths and meditate on what needs to be healed. Allow yourself to call out to Yemaya with your heart as you add the essential oils and salt to your bath. Breathe once more and when you are ready immerse yourself in her waters. Feel her soft caress against your skin as she heals your deepest wounds. Take your time and allow the process to unfold. When you are ready, step out of the bath and leave the rose petals as an offering to Yemaya.
Yemaya. Mother, goddess of the Sea,
Be in this place, come forth unto me,
Lady of the oceans, the lakes, and the rivers,
Beautiful Queen, ebb and flow bringer,
Heal my mind, my body
my soul.
For with your sweet love, I become whole.
Ashe, Great Mother

 

[Neamhain Riona]

A Spell to Protect Your Health

March 30
Tuesday
Passover begins

Color of the day: White
Incense of the day: Geranium

This is a perfect day to begin a new healthier lifestyle, to start losing weight, and become more physically fit. Since it is a waning Moon phase we can use this for “decreasing” your weight. We will use the energies of Tuesday, a Mars day, to stir up some courage and enthusiasm. You can begin by making a vow to walk at least thirty minutes a day. You just need some walking shoes, the outdoors, and your own personal will to make a positive change. Try enchanting your walking shoes for success.
Today I begin a healthier way of life,
May the god Mars make me strong and strengthen my stride.
Tuesday’s magic is for vigor, bravery and derring-do,
I will lose weight as I
exercise in these enchanted shoes.
Congratulations on becoming a healthier Witch!

 

[Neamhain Riona]

Baby Blessing

March 31
Wednesday

Color of the day: Yellow
Incense of the day: Honeysuckle

It is the first blush of spring. The p***y willows press forth their furry heads expectantly and epimedium push their delicate fairy petals up from the dark, black dirt. Winter’s edge begins to fade as wondrous new life emerges. The belly of the Goddess is swollen with the God’s seed as the ripening rhythm of spring calls forth her babe. Across the land the fairies gather in preparation, collecting blessings and well wishes for these new arrivals. A child is born! Cast your wish for the little prince or princess with this simple baby blessing. To ensure the baby’s wisdom and joy plant an iris bulb in a clay pot. With a silver marker, write your wish around the outside of the pot, wrapping your words in a spiral around the bulb to energize your blessing. Gift the new parents with this offering tucked in a box with sprigs of arborvitae considered to be the “Tree of Life.”

 

[Neamhain Riona]

Creative Trickery

April 1
Thursday
April Fools' Day

Color of the day: Green
Incense of the day: Mulberry
Creative Trickery
Rabbit, a trickster in the myths of cultures in North America and Africa (as well as modern myths such as Watership Down by Richard Adams), is particularly appropriate for this day. While Rabbit (as with any trickster) should be approached with care, he tends to be gentle in his lessons. Rabbit and his children are renowned for their fertility. While fertility is often taken literally, as procreation of various species, it can also mean more general growth. As spring is the beginning of the growing season in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s a great time for putting projects and endeavors into motion. When things go wrong, ask the trickster for tips on creative solutions:
Rabbit, Rabbit, as you run
Stop a moment by my fire
To teach, to show, and to inspire
Some fertile growth (and a lot of fun!)

 

[Neamhain Riona]

The Fountain of Youth

April 2
Friday
Good Friday
Orthodox Good Friday

Color of the day: Purple
Incense of the day: Orchid

Ponce de Leon arrived on the shores of what is now known as Florida on this day in search of the Fountain of Youth. Since that adventurous day in the early 1500s, we have continued to explore the possibility of eternal youth and lasting beauty, hoping to discover some magical elixir or mysterious formula. The secret is revealed through the power of the meditative mind and the expression of youthful optimism. Sit or lie quietly, closing your eyes. Focus on a gentle breath and allow yourself to drift slowly back in time. Take yourself to a special place in your flowering youth where you felt completely content. Explore this terrain, observing your feelings. Remember your daydreams. Experience all of the wonder that surrounds you. Embody this sensation of innocence and joy. When you are ready to return, open your eyes and affirm aloud:
I am forever young in mind, body, and soul!
When finished, smile.